Antioxidant Activity and Total Phenolic Contents of Different Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Varieties Grown in Turkey

Abstract

Fifteen alfalfa varieties cultivated in Turkey were researched to compare the antioxidant potential of their seeds and find differences between the varieties. The total phenolic (TP) content, DPPH•, and ABTS•+ scavenging activities, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of alfalfa seed methanol extracts were determined. TP contents of extracts were found between 37.03 and 54.04 mg GAE/g. ABTS assay results ranged between 0.100 and 0.158 mmol Trolox/g extract, and FRAP changed from 389.90 to 791.02 µmol Fe2+/g extract. The results demonstrated that the differences between the alfalfa varieties were significant (p < 0.01) in terms of analyzed characters.