Quantification of the polyphenolic fraction and in vitro antioxidant and in vivo anti-hyperlipemic activities of Hibiscus sabdariffa aqueous extract

In the present study the quantification of the polyphenolic fraction, anthocyanins and other polar compounds, the antioxidant capacity and the anti-hyperlipemic action of the aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa has been achieved. Seventeen compounds were successfully quantified either by HPLC-DAD or HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS. Six of them were directly quantified by their corresponding standards, whereas the rest were indirectly quantified as equivalents using standards of similar compounds. The antioxidant capacity have also been estimated by comparing different assays, i,e, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and measurement of thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS). H. sabdariffa showed high reducing capacity in FRAP assay and significant capability to scavenge peroxyl radicals in the ORAC assay. Nevertheless, the extract exhibited poor efficacy to inhibit peroxyl radicals in lipid systems. The plant extract also exhibited the capacity to decrease serum triglyceride concentration on hyperlipemic mouse model.