OPTIMIZATION OF ANTIOXIDANT COMPOUNDS EXTRACTION FROM AZOLLA FERN, AZOLLA FILICULOIDES

Solvent extraction and taguchi method were used to optimize conditions for the antioxidant activity of Azolla fern extracts. The independent processing variables were ethanol concentration, extraction time and solid to solvent ratio. Ethanol concentration and solvent to solid ratio significantly affected antioxidant activity measured by the total phenol content (p<0.05). whereas the extraction time did not significantly affect the activity (p>0.05). Antioxidant activity of the extracts, determined by the total phenolic content, varied from 5.77 to 16.42 mg acid gallic equivalents/g of dry sample. DPPH scavenging activity percentage ranged from %20.51 to %93.71. Ethanol concentration of %50 and sample to solvent ratio of 1 to 15 were optimal for the highest antioxidant activities measured by the TPC assay and the DPPH method. The optimal extraction time was 48h. The result show that azolla fern is suitable for antioxidant extraction.