Determination of the antiradical activity in vitro of Chaenomeles japonica (Thumb.) Lindl. ex Spach fruit samples acetone extracts using ABTS radical cation decolorization assay

Introduction. Free radicals are continuously produced in cells, and their excess may contribute to various diseases. Antioxidants help protect the body from oxidative damage and play an important role in preventing conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease [1]. Materials and methods. 1 g (exact weight) of lyophilized Chaenomeles japonica (Thumb.) Lindl. ex Spach fruits were placed in dark glass bottles, covered with 10 ml of acetone, and placed in an ultrasonic bath (80 kHz) for extraction. The extracts were filtered through a vacuum pump and 0.2 μm membrane filters [2]. The filtrate was transferred into a 10 ml volumetric flask and diluted to the mark with acetone. The ABTS radical cation decolorization assay was performed according to Re et al. with some modifications [3]. A single factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) along with the post-hoc Tukey test was employed for statistical analysis. Results and discussion. The analysis revealed that antiradical activity in vitro of the tested extracts ranged from 25.97 µmol TE/g to 71.80 µmol TE/g. The weakest antiradical activity (25.97±1.24 µmol TE/g, p<0.05), determined using the ABTS assay, was observed of the extract of Japanese quince fruit samples collected in Vilnius. In contrast, the strongest antiradical activity in vitro (71.80±0.48 µmol TE/g, p<0.05) was observed of the extract of C. japonica fruit samples collected in Zarasai. The considerable coefficient of variation (29.66 %) was identified, indicating notable variability of the antiradical activity in vitro. Conclusions. The results of this research revealed that the growing site has a statistically significant influence on the antiradical activity in vitro of Japanese quince fruit extract samples. The strongest antioxidant activity in vitro was observed in fruits of C. japonica collected from Zarasai. Therefore, after more detailed researches, Japanese quince fruits could potentially be used in the future for the development and production of dietary supplements, functional foods, and other food industry applications, as their extracts demonstrate strong antiradical activity.