In vitro Antioxidant Activity of Mentha viridis L. and Mentha piperita L.

For selecting a new candidate as functional material, this study was conducted on in vitro antioxidant activity and total phenol content of methanol and water extracts prepared from two Mentha species (M viridis L. (M spicata L.) and Mentha piperita L, Extracts of M. viridis showed more efficient scavenging activity on superoxide and DPPH radical and inhibitory activity on oxidation of human low density lipoprotein (LDL) induced by and auto-oxidation of linoleic acid than those of M piprita. Methanol extract and water extract of M. viridis also exhibited more potent inhibitory activity on LDL oxidation than that of at of final concentration. The total phenol contents of methanol extract and water extract of Mviridis (17.95% & 10.18%, respectively) as tannic acid equivalent were higher than those of M piperita (15.44% & 9.19%). But the yields of methanol and water extracts of M. viridis (13.3 % & 13.5%) were lower than those of M. piperita (14.1 % & 14.6%). The results implies that the extracts from M. viridis (spicata) is more useful material for industrialization as functional food than those from M. piperita.