Antioxidant activities and composition of extracts from chilli

The extract yields obtained by three methods in different solvents from chilli were compared. The antioxidant activities of chilli extracts vs. butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was determined through the peroxide value (POV), the beta‐carotene bleaching assay and the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging method. The results showed that the extract yields by three extract methods, namely, Soxhlet, ultrasonic wave and saturation, were 16.32%, 15.78% and 11.62%, respectively, when 85% ethanol acted as solvent. The extracting efficiency of solvent from high to low was 95% ethanol > ethyl acetate > anhydrous ethanol > distilled water. The total phenol content of chilli extracts from ultrasonic wave with 85% ethanol as solvent was 73.91 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per gram extracts and the value of inhibitory capacity IC₅₀ on free radical (DPPH) was 38.99 mg mL^?1. The POV of chilli extracts was close to that of BHT. The ultrasonic wave was more helpful for the extraction of antioxidant substance from chilli than other methods. In addition, the composition of chilli extracts was analysed by gas chromatography‐mass spectrum (GC‐MS).