Antioxidant activities, total phenols and total Flavonoids assay of Origanurm vulgare, Teucrium polium and Thymus daensis

Medicinal plants are important sources of antioxidants. Natural antioxidants increase the antioxidant capacity of the plasma and reduce the risk of certain diseases such as cancer, heart diseases and stroke. Synthetic antioxidants commonly used in processed foods have side effects and are toxic. Therefore, there is a need for more effective, less toxic and cost effective antioxidants derived from medicinal plants. The Stems and flower sample of plants were air-dried, finely ground and extracted by 70% ethanol for 48 hours. The antioxidant activity of three ethanolic extract of medicinal plants (Origanurm vulgare, Teucrium polium and Thymus daensis), were analyzed by five different methods including (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazy l (DPPH) radical, 2,2-azinobis- (3-ethylbenzthiazoline -6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical cation, Ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), phosphomolybdenum (PMB) and reducing power (RP). For determination of antioxidant components total phenolic content was analyzed. The total phenolic content and flavonoid of medicinal plant extracts ranged from 97.7-140 mgE/g and 34.6-68 mg. Origanurm vulgare had the highest value of total phenol and flavonoid content. There was significant variation in total phenol value of Origanurm vulgare and Thymus daensis (P