Antioxidant potential and content of phenolic compounds in extracts of twelve selected Malaysian commercial wood species

This study was performed to investigate the antioxidant values of twelve selected Malaysian wood species. Bark and heartwood were extracted with toluene: industrial methylated spirit (Tol: IMS) and evaluated for antioxidant activity. Folin-Ciocalteu reagent was used to determine the total antioxidant activity and total phenols of plant extracts. Free radical scavenging activity was evaluated using 2,2-dipheny-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Extractive yields, antioxidant activity and total phenolic content varied among wood species. N. heimii had the highest extractive yields (23.50 and 9.16 %), antioxidant (93.60 and 83.78 %) and total phenolic content (29.11 and 24.11 mgGAE/g) for bark and heartwood, respectively. The results provided promising evidence that those tropical timbers may be useful as potential sources of natural antioxidants and could be used as drug formulations.