Antioxidant Potential and Phenolic Content of Taraxacum officinale Root Extract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the antioxidant capability and bioactive chemical profile of Taraxacum officinale roots, a medicinal plant with potential therapeutic uses, collected from Erzincan, Türkiye. Methods: 70% methanol was used to extract the roots, and the solvent was then evaporated. Both the total flavonoid quantities (TFQ) and the total phenolic quantities (TPQ) were measured. The DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP tests were used to measure antioxidant capability. Results: The IC50 values for DPPH and ABTS assays were 50.47 ± 0.41 μg/mL and 70.57 ± 0.44 μg/mL, respectively. The reducing power, measured by the FRAP assay, was 26.87 ± 0.12 mg Trolox equivalents/g extract. The TPQ was 23.58 ± 0.97 mg gallic acid equivalents/g extract, and the TFQ was 7.76 ± 0.81 mg quercetin equivalents/g extract. Conclusion: The root extract of T. officinale collected from Erzincan exhibited low antioxidant activity despite its high phenolic and flavonoid content. This finding suggests that its potential as a natural antioxidant source in the food and pharmaceutical industries may be limited. Notably, this study represents the first investigation of T. officinale from Erzincan, Türkiye, highlighting the unique chemical composition of the region's flora.