Polyphenolic composition and Antioxidant Effect of Aerial Parts and Roots Extracts from Scorzonera veratrifolia

Antioxidant activities of the different extracts (n-heptane, chloroform, methanol) from the roots and aerial parts of Scorzonera veratrifolia by maceration method, as well as total phenolic and flavonoid content were examined first time in this study. The findings revealed that the methanol extract from S. veratrifolia aerial parts exhibited greater DPPH radical scavenging (IC50: 0.62±0.60 mg/mL) and iron (III) reduction capacity (1.56±0.03 mM Fe²⁺/mg extract). Furthermore, aerial parts methanol extract has the highest concentration of total phenolic (46.3±1.1 mgGAE/g extract) and flavonoid (0.013±0.002 mg QE/mg extract) compounds. Based on these findings, the main phenolic content of aerial parts methanol extract was analyzed by LC-ESI-QTOF/MS, as this extract was found to contain the strongest antioxidant as well as the highest amount of phenolics and flavonoids as compared to the others. Quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, rutin, liquiritin, quercetin hexoside, luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, and di-O-caffeoylquinic acid compounds were identified as major compounds in methanol extract. The findings showed that aerial parts of S. veratrifolia, rather than its roots, could be used as a source of antioxidants.