Comparative analysis of the antioxidant and DNA protection capacities of Anadenanthera colubrina, Libidibia ferrea and Pityrocarpa moniliformis fruits

► Free radicals are associated with various pathologies. ► We examined the antioxidant potential of Anadenanthera colubrina, Libidibia ferrea and Pityrocarpa moniliformis. ► The extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity in the in vitro assays performed. ► Significant correlations among polyphenols and the TAC (%) and O2- IC50 were found. This study aimed to explore the antioxidant and DNA protection abilities of hydroalcoholic extracts from fruits of Anadenanthera colubrina (ACHE), Libidibia ferrea (LFHE) and Pityrocarpa moniliformis (PMHE). These extracts were tested by five antioxidant methods (phosphomolibdenium and reducing power assays; superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide scavenging) and DNA protection capacity. Total phenolic content was measured by Folin–Ciocalteu method. ACHE exhibited the highest phenolic content (578mg/g GAE), followed by LFHE (460mg/g GAE) and PMHE (448mg/g GAE). In phosphomolibdenium assay, ACHE showed 24.81% of activity in relation to ascorbic acid, whereas LFHE and PMHE had 21.08% and 18.05%, respectively. These plants showed high ability to inhibit reactive species tested with IC50 values ranged from 10.66 to 14.37μg/mL for superoxide radical; 26.05 to 45.43μg/mL for hydrogen peroxide; 178.42 to 182.98μg/mL for reducing power; and 199.2 to 283μg/mL for nitric oxide. Furthermore, these extracts had capacity to break the DNA damage induced by hydroxyl radicals. The antioxidant activity of these plants is related with their higher phenolic content and show that they may be used as source of bioactive compounds, relevant to the maintenance of oxidative stability of the food matrix, cosmetics and/or pharmaceutical preparations.