Redox properties of Abarema cochliacarpos (Gomes) Barneby & Grime (Fabaceae) stem bark ethanol extract and fractions

The redox properties of the hydroethanol extract (EE) and its ethyl acetate (EAF) and hydromethanol (HMF) fractions obtained from Abarema cochliacarpos (Gomes) Barneby & Grimes stem bark were evaluated. EAF had the highest total phenol content (848.62 +/- 78.18mgg(-1)), while EE showed the highest content of catechin (71.2 mu gg(-1)). EE, EAF and HMF exhibited the highest levels of antioxidant activity at 100 and 1000 mu gmL(-1) when the non-enzymatic antioxidant potential was evaluated by the total reactive antioxidant potential, total antioxidant reactivity and nitric oxide scavenging assays. In addition, EAF and HMF showed SOD-like activity. The results for EE, EAF and HMF in this study showed that A. cochliacarpos (Gomes) Barneby & Grimes stem bark have redox properties and may be able to help the endogenous enzymatic and non-enzymatic systems to keep the redox balance.