The Certain phytochemicals such as polyphenols found in culinary herbs are attracting increased interest due to a wide range of biological activities, especially their possible cancer preventive properties. Acting as free radicals scavenging agents, polyphenols play a key role in antioxidative defence mechanisms in biological systems. Polyphenols might therefore inhibit development of coronary heart disease and cancers. The amount of polyphenols in aqueous extracts from basil, sage and oregano was studied. Using the spectrophotometry method with the Folin - Ciocalteau reagent and gallic acid as standard, it was established that he range of total polyphenols in selected herbs was between 516,352 mg/100g and 859,617 mg/100g dried plant.
By measuring the redox potential of aqueous extracts, it was found the following variation of their reducing power: oregano> sage>basil. The free reducing sugars in the aqueous extracts were determined using the Shaffer- Somogy method.
MENU
