In vitro antioxidant activity of extracts of Sybaris liquorice roots from Southern Italy

The antioxidant properties of extracts of Sybaris liquorice roots have beenassessed using 2,20-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activityassay. The extracts, obtained by Soxhlet extraction (Et2O, AcOEt, MeOH andBuOH) of the yellow (inner part) and brown (cortex) root powders ensuing fromdecortication of the raw dry roots, followed by separation and powderisation,were analysed for their scavenging activity by evaluating the colourimetricdecrease in the absorbance of DPPH. The highest antioxidant activity(98.390.56%) was observed in the case of the Et2O extract of the brownpowder, at a concentration of 3.33 mgmL1. Moreover, the total phenoliccontent of the extracts was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent andexpressed as milligram gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry extract. Our resultsshow that the Et2O extract of the liquorice root cortex could be used as anattractive natural source of antioxidant additives for food, cosmetic or pharmaceuticalapplications.