Study on the antioxidant activity of Chinese herbal medicine prepared from litchi (Litchi chinensis sonn) seed in five producing areas

The antioxidant activity of litchi seed from five producing areas was estimated in vitro models using1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, 2, 2'-Azinobis- (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) method and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) assay method. The content of phenolics, flavonoids and saponins was also determined, and the correlation analysis was carried out between the active constituent and antioxidant capacity. The results showed that the content of phenolics and flavonoids in the litchi seed produced in Huidong was the highest among the five places followed by that produced in Yangxi with the lowest content produced in Lingshan. In addition, the Yangxi litchi seed had the highest level of saponin followed by that of Huidong, Conghua, Dongguan and Lingshan in sequence. Furthermore, no significant difference was found about the DPPH radical scavenging capacity among litchi seeds from the five places, while the ABTS+radical scavenging capacity was significantly different and the Yangxi litchi seed had the strongest scavenging ability.The total antioxidant capacity of litchi seed in Conghua was the highest and that was lowest in Lingshan litchi.Moreover, certain positive correlation was found between the antioxidant activity and phenolics, flavonoids and saponins content in litchi seed.