Antioxidant activity of aqueous and alcohol extracts of Salvia leriifolia L. and Linum usitalissmum L. subjected to a pulsed electric field

Introduction. More attention has been paid in recent decades to extracts and essential oils from various plants as natural antioxidant sources due to their positive effects on food oxidation reactions. Our study aimed to compare the antioxidant activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts from Salvia leriifolia L. and Linum usitalissmum L.The extracts were subjected to a pulsed electric field with intensities of zero (without pretreatment), 3 and 6 kV·cm–1, and a constant pulse number of 30. For this purpose, parameters such as total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity were investigated by DPPH and TEAC methods. Results and discussion. Our results showed that a higher intensity of a pulsed electric field pretreatment and the use of an alcoholic solvent significantly raised total phenolic compounds in the extracts and their antioxidant activity at a 95% confidence level. We found significant effects of the plant source (Linum usitalissmum and Salvia leriifolia), pretreatment (pulse electric field at intensities of 0.3 and 6 kV·cm–1), and a solvent (aqueous and alcohol) on the extracts' antioxidant activity (P < 0.05). In addition, there was a significant correlation between the results of the DPPH and the TEAC antioxidant activities (P < 0.01 and r = 0.932). Conclusion. The total antioxidant activity (based on both TEAC and DPPH methods) and total phenolic compounds extracted from Salvia leriifolia were higher than those from Linum usitalissmum (P < 0.05). Based on the results, the extract obtained from Salvia leriifolia with an alcoholic solvent and a pulsed electric field pretreatment (at 6 kV·cm–1 and 30 pulses) was selected as possessing desired antioxidant properties.