Antioxidant activity and total phenolics in selected cereal grains and their different morphological fractions

The purpose of this study was to examine the antioxidant properties of wate r and 80% methanolic extracts of cereal grains and their different morpholo gical fractions, Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Almari and cv. Henika, ba rley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cv. Gregor and cv. Mobek, rye (Secale cereale L.) cv. Dankowskie Zlote, oat (Avena sativa L.) cv. Slawko and buckwheat (Fago pyrum esculentum Moench) cv. Kora were used. PC (L-alpha-phosphatidylcholin e) liposome system and spectrophotometric assay of total antioxidant activi ty (TAA) were used to evaluate the antioxidative activity of extracts. Amon g the water extracts, only the one prepared from buckwheat exhibited antiox idant activity at the concentration analyzed. The following hierarchy of an tioxidant activity was provided for 80% methanolic extracts originated from whole grain: buckwheat > barley > oat > wheat congruent to rye. The antiox idant activity was observed in extract prepared from separated parts or buc kwheat and barley. In respect to hulls, the antioxidant hierarchy was as fo llows: buckwheat > oat > barley. The correlation coefficient between total phenolic compounds and total antioxidative activity of the extracts was -0. 35 for water extracts and 0.96, 0.99, 0.80, and 0.99 for 80% methanolic ext racts originated from whole grains, hulls, pericarb with testa fractions an d endosperm with embryo fractions, respectively.