In vitro antioxidant activity of silymarin

Figures & data

Figure 1.  The structural components of silymarin: silibinin, silydianine and silychristine.

Figure 2.  Total antioxidant activities of silymarin and standard antioxidant compounds such as BHA, BHT, α-tocopherol and trolox at the same concentration (30 μg/mL) assayed by ferric thiocyanate method (BHA: butylated hydroxyanisole, BHT: butylated hydroxytoluene).

Figure 3.  Total Fe³⁺ → Fe²⁺ reductive potential of different concentrations (10–30 μg/mL) of silymarin (r²:0.9177) and reference antioxidants; BHA, BHT, α-tocopherol and trolox (BHA: butylated hydroxyanisole, BHT: butylated hydroxytoluene).

Figure 4.  Cupric ions (Cu²⁺) reducing ability of different concentrations (10–30 μg/mL) of silymarin (r²:0.9768), BHA, BHT, α-tocopherol and trolox by Cuprac method (BHA: butylated hydroxyanisole, BHT: butylated hydroxytoluene).

Figure 5.  Comparison of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide anion radical (O₂^{√ −} ) scavenging activities of silymarin and standard antioxidant compounds such as BHA, BHT, (α-tocopherol and trolox at the concentration of 30 μg/mL (BHA: butylated hydroxyanisole, BHT: butylated hydroxytoluene).

Figure 6.  DPPH free radical scavenging activity of different concentrations (10–30 μg/mL) of silymarin (r²:0.9155) and reference antioxidants; BHA, BHT, α-tocopherol and trolox (BHA: Butylated hydroxyanisole, BHT: Butylated hydroxytoluene; DPPH√: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl free radical).

Figure 7.  ABTS radical scavenging activity of different concentrations (10–20 μg/mL) of silymarin (r²:0.9561) and reference antioxidants; BHA, BHT, α-tocopherol and trolox (BHA: butylated hydroxyanisole, BHT: butylated hydroxytoluene; ABTS^√+: 2,2′-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid).