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Natural antioxidants are present in plants in various amounts. This study was undertaken to
investigate antioxidant activities of some medicinal plants from Herzegovina region that are daily
used as dietary supplement and functional food. The dry leaves and flowers from eleven medicinal
plants (Lauris nobilis, Cichorium intybus, Chelidonium majus, Plantago major, Papaver rhoeas,
Asplenium ceterach, Taraxacum officinale, Silene vulgaris, Cetraria islandica, Leucanthemum
vulgare, and Helichrysum italicum) were extracted with water. Aqueous extracts of 11 plants were
investigated for their antioxidant properties using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging capacity
assay and ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assay. Totalphenolic content was also
determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Results indicated highest phenolic content in Papaver
rhoeas aqueous extracts (7551.98±143.25 mg GA/100 g DW). Also Papaver rhoeas showed highest
overall antioxidant activity in all of the methods used. Significant relationship between antioxidant
capacity and total phenolic content indicates that the phenolic compounds are the major
contributors to the antioxidant properties of these medicinal plants.
Keywords: Antioxidant Activities, Medicinal Plants, Total Phenolic Content, Reducing Power