Antioxidant properties and phenolic composition of swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum lutea L.) leaves

Antioxidant activity and the composition of antioxidatively active constituents in swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum lutea L.) were investigated in order to assess the prospects for future studies and applications of this plant in the preparation of bioactive functional ingredients. Total extract yield obtained from V. lutea by subsequent extraction with acetone and methanol was 33.34%; acetone soluble fraction constituted 24.19% while methanol additionally extracted 9.24% of more polar substances. The radical scavenging capacity of the acetone fraction was higher than that of the methanol fraction; total content of phenolics in acetone and methanol extracts was 131.8 ± 11.6 and 86.0 ± 8.6 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) in 1 g of dry extract, respectively. The composition was studied by HPLC and HPTLC methods by using UV and MS detectors and 8 compounds were identified. One of the major antioxidants in V. lutea extracts was chlorogenic acid.