Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of fruit and leaf of Bene (Pistacia atlantica subsp. Kurdica) in Ilam province

The objective of this study was to evaluate total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of leaf and different parts of fruit (hull, shell, and kernel) of Bene in Ilam province. Total phenolic content was determined with the FolinCiocalteu Reagent (FCR); antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts were examined by DPPH (2,2diphenyl1picrylhydrazyl), FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) and nitric oxide radical scavenging methods. Among all the samples tested, leaf contained the highest total phenolic content followed by hull, kernel, and shell. There was a positive correlation between total phenol content and FRAP, Nitric oxide radical scavenging activity, and DPPH radical scavenging activity (r= 0.993, r= 0.972, and r= 0.969, respectively). The results indicated that antioxidant activity of leaf and hull extracts were significantly higher than kernel and shell extracts and this is attributed to their higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The FRAP, nitric oxide radical scavenging activity, and DPPH radical scavenging activity assay showed that leaf and hull extracts with potent activity can be introduced as a source of natural antioxidant. Compared with BHA, the extracts of leaf and hull revealed a remarkable DPPH free radical scavenging activity but shell and kernel extracts with higher EC50 had a weak activity.