Antioxidant potential, cytotoxic activity and phenolic content of Clematis flammula leaf extracts

Abstract

Five fractions of Clematis flammula L., a plant widely used in the Mediterranean traditional medicine, were isolated from the leaves using a selective extraction procedure and their total antioxidant capacity was measured by both the ABTS and ORAC tests. Furthermore, their capacities to inhibit microsomal lipid peroxidation and to scavenge the hydroxyl radical were assessed. The cytotoxic potential of the crude ethanolic extract and the aqueous fraction obtained from chloroform was also evaluated on three human hepatoma cell lines CHL, PLC and HuH7.