Comparison of Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Activities in Iranian Leontice leontopetalum and L. armeniacaTubers and Leaves

The purpose of this study was to determine total alkaloid and phenolic contents and antioxidant activities by Ferric Reducing Power (FRAP), reducing power and scavenging of superoxide radical of tuber and leaf of L. Leontopetalum and L. armeniaca. The results revealed that in both species, total alkaloid and phenolic contents and FRAP of leaf were the greater than tuber, also in both organs was: leontopetalum > armeniaca. The highest and lowest reducing power was found in leaves and tubers of L. leontopetalm (1.146±0.055, 0.889±0.037) respectively. In all cases, free radical superoxide scavenging activity was greater than 27%. Radical superoxide scavenging activity in leaf and tuber of L. armeniaca were higher than L. leontopetalum. The correlation (R2) of antioxidant activities, FRAP and reduction power, with, phenolic contents indicatedsignificant correlations except for radical superoxide scavenging activity. Alkaloid content was only significantly associated with reducing power. The results obtained from this study show that Leontice can be a source of natural antioxidant