Antioxidant activity and citral content of different tea preparations of the above-ground parts of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.)

Abstract

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.) is a common herb used in cooking and recognized for its many health benefits. This study measured the antioxidant activity and citral content in extracts made from air-dried and fresh lemongrass tissues prepared by decoction and infusion. The plants were collected from three different areas in Iloilo (Pavia, Jaro and Lapaz) and two baranggays in Buenavista, Guimaras (Brgy. Daragan and Brgy. San Isidro). All plant extracts were found to exhibit antioxidant activity against the diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. Antioxidant activity was significantly (p <0.05) higher in fresh plants than in dried plants. Fresh plants when prepared by decoction gave higher antioxidant activity than when prepared by infusion. On the other hand, antioxidant activity remained the same in dried plants, whether prepared by decoction or infusion. Citral was also found to be present in the plant extracts, but is not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by the kind of plant tissues used, whether fresh or dried. However, extraction by decoction gave a higher citral content than infusion. Thus, if one wanted to get the most of antioxidants and citral from lemongrass tea, fresh plants prepared by decoction must be used.