Antioxidant activities of edible lichen Ramalina conduplicans and its free radical-scavenging constituents

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties of an edible lichen Ramalina conduplicans. The extract exhibited potent anti-linoleic acid peroxidation activity, free radical-scavenging activity, and reducing power. The total phenolic contents were found to be high in the extract. Activity-guided bioautographic thin layer chromatography (TLC) and HPLC identified sekikaic acid and homosekikaic acid as the main free radicalscavenging compounds in R. conduplicans extract (IC50 [50% inhibition concentration] = 0.082 and 0.276 mg/ml, respectively). The results suggested that this edible lichen species have the potential to be utilized as food additives or as protective drugs.