Antioxidant potential of ethanolic extract of Polygonum cuspidatum and application in peanut oil

Polygonum cuspidatum was extracted with 95% ethanol to obtain a crude antioxidant extract. P. cuspidatum extract (PCE) had a very high content of total phenol, which was 104.83 ± 8.58 mg/g dry weight, expressed as pyrocatechol equivalent. PCE exhibited excellent antioxidant activity, as measured using α,α-diphenyl-β-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) and total antioxidant assays. It also showed a high lipid antioxidant activity and hydroxyl radicals scavenging activity. A positive correlation was found between the reducing power and the antioxidant activity of PCE, which was found to be comparable to resveratrol and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Then the suitability of PCE as an antioxidant was determined in peanut oil, and the decrease of oxidation was monitored using thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) assay. PCE treatment significantly (P <  0.05) reduced lipid oxidation in peanut oil compared to resveratrol and BHT.