Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity in Thai Herbal Beverages and Wines

Abstract

          Free radicals have been recognized as a factor which can initiate several degenerative diseases. They can cause cell damage by oxidizing many cellular components; such as protein, lipid and DNA. Normally, cells contain antioxidants which can scavenge free radicals and prevent themselves from the damage. Plants, including several Thai herbs which we use to make beverage and wine, are sources of several antioxidants; such as vitamin A, C, E, selenium, carotenoids and flavonoids. We studied the antioxidant activities from 45 Thai herbal beverages and wines from one tumbon one product (OTOP), by using a free radical, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). We found that the antioxidant activities were -0.7 to 94.8% from herbal beverages and instant beverages, 11.2 to 89.9% from herbal teas, and 82.7 to 83.7% from Thai red wines. Five herbal beverages which have strongest antioxidant activities (>80 percent) were Nam wan chuk mod look, Nam mayom, Nam krachai dum, Nam look-yor and Nam gek-huay; by 94.0±0.1%, 93.4±0.2%, 92.7±0.1%, 94.8±0.2%, 91.6±0.8% and 90.2±0.2% respectively. In conclusion, we demonstrated the antioxidant activities from local Thai herbal beverages which had high activities from many of them. This study will give customers more information about herbal and will promote the benefit of products from OTOP.