| Abstract
| - Five commercially available water-soluble extracts prepared from the aerial parts of Epilobiumangustifolium L. (Onagraceae) were screened for antioxidant-related properties in a battery of six invitro assays. Total phenol content and qualitative−quantitative analyses were also carried out. Theextracts demonstrated varying degrees of efficacy in each screen. Two extracts, denoted asnonfermented and Tver, were the most effective toward reducing iron(III), scavenging 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radicals, inhibiting hydroxyl radical-catalyzed bovine brain-derived phospholipiddegradation, and non-site- and site-specific hydroxyl radical-catalyzed 2-deoxy-d-ribose degradation.The activity profile of the extracts changed, however, when their iron(II) chelating ability was assessed.The nonfermented and Tver extracts were not as effective iron(II) chelators as the extract denotedas Lotos. All the extracts contained Folin−Ciocalteu-reactive substances, which was confirmed bythe presence of predominantly polar phenolic analytes (i.e. hydroxylated benzoic acid derivativesand flavonoids). Keywords: Antioxidants; Epilobium angustifolium L.; willow herb; high performance liquid chromatography; polyphenols; 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•); free radicals; chelation; Onagraceae; water-soluble extracts.
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