Antioxidant properties and components of bran extracts from selected wheat varieties commercially available in Pakistan

Antioxidant activity of bran extracts from five wheat varieties indigenous to Pakistan, i.e. Punjab-96, Bhakkar-2002, Uqab-2000, SH-2002, and Pasban-90, has been evaluated. All the bran extracts exhibited appreciable total phenolic content (2.12–3.37 mg gallic acid equivalent/g bran), total flavonoid content (epicatechin equivalent 262–304 μg/g bran), chelating activity (ethylenediaminetetracetate equivalent 597–716 μg/g bran), 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (51–79%), ABTS radical cation scavenging activity (Trolox equivalent 27–36 μmol/g), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (97–123 μmol/g), and total anthocyanin content (30–38 mg/kg bran). Tocopherol (22–26 ppm) and tocotrienol content (59–74 ppm) were determined by RP-HPLC. For confirmation of tocopherol content, polarographic study was conducted, which further authenticated the results (21–25 ppm). All the varieties exhibited appreciable antioxidant potential and significant differences were observed among the varieties in different systems of antioxidant activity evaluation.