Potent suppressive activity of fresh and dried peels from Satsuma mandarin Citrus unshiu (Marcorv.) on hydroperoxide generation from oxidized linoleic acid.

The effects of various extracts prepared from fresh and dried peels of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marcov.) on hydroperoxide generation from oxidized linoleic acid were compared under different extraction conditions. The cold-and hot-water extracts of fresh peels showed significant suppressive activity against hydroperoxide generation in a dose-dependent manner. However, the methanol or acetone extract of fresh peels did not exhibit significant suppressive effects. The commercially available ascorbic acids equivalent to their concentrations in the water extracts of fresh peels showed roughly equal antioxidative activities compared with those of the water extracts of fresh peels. Although the cold- and hot- water extracts of dried peels indicated a considerable reduction of ascorbic acid concentration, they exhibited much higher antioxidative activities than those of the fresh peels. The methanol extract of dried peels also showed significant antioxidative activities, but did not contain significant ascorbic acid. These results suggest that the fresh peels of Satsuma mandarin have potential antioxidant activities, and the drying treatment of fresh peels caused an enhancement of the antioxidant activity. The pharmacological significance of this finding is discussed. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.