Abstract:
Yin Chen Hao or Artemisia cappilaris has been used to treat hepatitis, jaundice or fever and also as flavoring. The modem research has confirmed that the plant contains tonic and strengthening effect upon the liver, gallbladder and digestive system. The objectives of this study were to determine the highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic compound in the different parts of Yin Chen Hao (leaves, petioles and roots). The first stage of the study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activity in different parts namely leaves, petioles and roots in order to determine which give the highest antioxidants activity results. Methanol and ethyl acetate were used as an extraction solvent. Antioxidative assay were carried out using Ferric thiocyanate method (FTC) while total phenolic compounds (TPC) were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteau phenol method. Results from FTC showed the leaves from the ethyl acetate extracts shows the highest value antioxidant activity and there were not significantly different (p<0.05) with a-tocopherol and BHT. While the roots sample from the methanol extracts showed the lowest antioxidant activity and were significantly different (p<0.05) as compared to BHT but not significantly different (p<0.05) with a-tocopherol. On the other hand the results for (TPC) showed the leaves from methanol extracts showed highest total phenolic compound but there were no significant different (p<0.05) between the samples. The roots from the ethyl acetate extracts has shown the lowest total phenolic compound but there were significantly different (p<0.05) with the leaves from the ethyl acetate extracts. Overall, Yin Chen Hao can be used as one of the natural antioxidant herbs because it is as good as the a-tocopherol and BHT.
