Effect of extraction solvent on total polyphenols content and antioxidant activity of Cannabis sativa L.

Abstract

In this study, water and various concentrations of ethanol in water (30 %, 50 %, 70 %, and 90 %) were used as a solvent in the extraction of two different samples of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). The extraction yield, total phenols content, total flavonoids content, antioxidant activity, and reductive capacity were determined in the obtained extracts. The extraction yield was from 8.16 to 19.56 %, the content of total phenols was in the range from 5.85 to 17.05 mg GAE/g dw, and content of total flavonoids was in the range from 5.85 to 9.25 mg CE/g dw. Antioxidant activity was tested by DPPH assay and EC50 values were from 0.1331 to 0.7563 mg/mL, while EC50 values obtained by reducing power test ranged from 0.4450 to 1.1980 mg/mL. Ethanol/water mixture (50 %) was determined to be the best solvent for the extraction of phenolic compounds from both hemp samples. Total phenols content in 50 % ethanolic extracts were 17.05 mg/g dw and 9.25 mg/g dw for young and mature hemp, respectively.