Antioxidant Activity of Flavonoids from Sweet Potato Vines in Vitro

Flavonoids from Sweet potato vines are often regarded as a functional ingredient to promote nutritional value of food. In this study, the antioxidant activity of flavonoids from Sweet potato vines was evaluated by various methods with ascorbic acid as control standards. The results showed that flavonoids could inhibit lipid peroxidation, increase reducing power, scavenge hydroxyl free radicals, superoxide anions and DPPH radicals. Those antioxidant properties of the flavonoids depended on flavonoids content and increased with increasing of sample content. The flavonoids were better than ascorbic acids on inhibiting lipid peroxidation, but it was weaker than ascorbic acids on reducing power and scavenging hydroxyl free radicals, superoxide anions and DPPH radicals. ID50 (50% inhibiting dose) of inhibiting lipid peroxidation, scavenging hydroxyl free radicals, superoxide anions and DPPH radicals of the flavonoids was 17.48 mu g, 204.95 mu g, 139.02 mu g, 138.35 mu g separately. Therefore, the flavonoids from sweet potato vines is a kind of natural and effective antioxidant and free radical remover.