Evaluation of the antioxidant activity of environmental plants: Activity of the leaf extracts from seashore plants

The antioxidant activity of the methanolic extracts of the leaves of 39 pla nt species was examined. These leaves were collected from the plants growin g on subtropical seashores. The activity was evaluated by three kinds of as say methods, which included the DPPH radical scavenging assay, Linoleic aci d oxidation assay, and oxidative cell death assay. Two extracts from Excoec aria agallocha and Terminalia catappa showed remarkably potent activity in all assay systems. The HPLC analysis of the extracts indicated the presence of the same antioxidant and isolation work for the compound identified ell agic acid. The isolated ellagic acid showed strong antioxidant activity in the assay systems used.