Comparative evaluation of various total antioxidant capacity assays applied to phytochemical compounds of Indian culinary spices.

Abstract

Spices and herbs have been added to foods since ancient times, not only as flavoring agents, but also as folk medicines and food preservatives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the total content of polyphenols, flavonoid, tannins and their correlation to antioxidant activity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of spices. Cardamom, coriander seeds and dried bay leaves were used to prepare extracts and iron(III) reduction, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicalscavenging, hydrogen peroxide , superoxide and nitric oxide radical scavenging , reducing power were assayed as antioxidant capacity. Although bay leaves showed greater amount of phenols and high antioxidant activity, cardamom and coriander are also good sources of flavonoid and scavengers of free radicals. Both extracts of these spices are promising alternatives to synthetic substances as food ingredients with antioxidant activity.