Attività antiossidante dell’Aloe. Prove su differenti estratti di infiorescenze di Aloe Arborescens varietà Etnea

Aloe Arborescens is known for its high concentration of active principles that make it adapted for use in cosmetics and in food supplements. Today Aloe’s flowers have not commercial interest, though they contain biological active substances as polyphenols. The aim of this study was to assess phytochemicals components and antioxidant activity of three different extracts of flowers of Aloe Arborescens var. Etnea. These data were compared with those of Aloe Barbadensis’s flowers in order to consider the influence of volcanic soil on flowers’ quality. Total phenolic compounds were determined by Folin–Ciocalteu method, whereas total anthocyanins were estimated by a pH differential method. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH assays. Results indicate that the flowers of Aloe Arborescens are a good source of antioxidants and could be used to prevent deleterious effects induced by free-radical species.