Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Ranunculus marginatus var. trachycarpus and R. sprunerianus

Hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous extracts of Ranunculus marginatus d’Urv. var. trachycarpus (Fisch. Mey.) Azn. and R. sprunerianus Boiss. were tested in vitro for their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by DPPH radical scavenging and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assays. Methanol extracts showed the highest antioxidant activity in both assays. The total phenolics in the extracts were determined colorimetrically by using the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. The total flavonoid content of the extracts was evaluated by a spectrophotometric method. The results obtained in the antioxidant activity tests were in positive correlation with the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts. An antibacterial activity analysis was carried out using paper disk diffusion and micro-well dilution techniques. All of the extracts displayed antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria in the disk diffusion method. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of all the extracts of both Ranunculus species were found to be between 128 and 256 μg/mL.