Antioxidant activity of 4 cultivars of persimmon fruit

In this study, the antioxidant activity of persimmon fruit of 4 different persimmon cultivars cultured at Korea was evaluated. There were 3 astringent persimmon cultivars ‘Bongok’ (BO), Japanese Hatchiya; ‘Cheongdobansi’ (CB); and ‘Dogeunjosaeng’ (DJ), Japanese Tonewase] a 1 non-astringent persimmon cultivar ‘Seochonjosaeng’ (SJ), Japanese Nishimurawase] fruits. After preparing extracts of fruits according to parts (calyx, pulp, and peel) with 4 different solvents (acetone, ethanol, methanol, and water), total phenolic contents (TPC) and antioxidant activity were determined. The extracts of calyx showed significantly higher TPC and antioxidant properties than those of the other persimmon parts. The highest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀=43.36±1.78 μg/mL) and reducing power (IC₅₀=81.93±1.18 μg/mL) were found at acetone extract of SJ calyx, while SJ pulp extracts showed relatively lower antioxidant activities. Astringent persimmons showed relatively higher antioxidant activity than non-astringent persimmons in peel and pulp parts. These results indicated that persimmons have different antioxidant activity depending on cultivars and parts.