The study of antioxidant capacity in various parts of Areca catechu L.

Abstract

Areca catechu L. has traditionally been used as herbal medicines in many contries. Its shoot is edible. Its seed is chewed as areca quid and used as medicines. The seeds contain alkaloids, tannins, polyphenols, sugars and lipids. The seed has anthelmintic, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The objectives of this study were to find the antioxidant activities in various ages of seeds and various plant parts of areca related to their % tannin and total phenols contents and to find out that which kind of solvent giving the highest antioxidant activities by TEAC method. Results showed that the water and methanol extracts of the seeds in various ages presented higher % tannin and total phenols than the other parts of areca tree extracts. The methanol extracts of the seeds in various ages gave higher antioxidant activities than the other parts (leaves, crownshafts, fruit shells (4 and 8 months), root and adventitious root) of areca tree extracts. The sequence of antioxidant activities of methanol seeds extracts from high to low were 4, 8, 6, 3, 2 and 1-month seed extract. The 82.05% antioxidant activities accessed from phenolic compounds in areca, and arecoline indicated no antioxidant activity.