Comparative Study on Antioxidant Active Components of Three Natural Plants for Food Packaging

The antioxidant components and antioxidant functions of three commonly used natural food packaging materials, including Indocalamus leaves, reed leaves and lotus leaves were investigated. The active components were extracted by ultrasonic extraction. The contents of total phenols and total flavonoids, the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, superoxide radicals scavenging activity, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, ABTS⁺ free radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant activity and reducing power of plant extracts were determined. The relation between antioxidant functions and antioxidant active ingredients was tested. The results indicated that the contents of total phenols and total flavonoids in lotus leave were higher than these of Indocalamus leaves and reed leaves, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). The total phenol content of three plants was extremely significantly correlated with the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, superoxide radicals scavenging activity, DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS⁺ scavenging activity, total antioxidant and reducing power (P<0.01). The total flavonoid content was extremely significantly correlated with the total antioxidant and reducing power (P<0.01), and significantly correlated with the ABTS⁺ free radical scavenging ability (P<0.05). The content of isoquercitrin was high in Indocalamus leaves, and reed leaves and the content of luteolin-6-c-glucoside was high in reed leaves and lotus leaves. These ingredients contained the 4-carbonyl group, 2, 3-double bond and o-dihydroxy group of B ring. In summary, Indocalamus leaf, reed leaf and lotus leaf contained many kinds of polyphenols, which have strong free radicals scavenging activity and other antioxidant function.