Antioxidant Activities of the Ethanol Extract of Hamcho (Salicornia herbacea L.) Cake Prepared by Enzymatic Treatment

The antioxidant activities of water ($H_2O$) and ethanol (EtOH) extracts from hamcho (Salicornia herbacea L.) juice and cake prepared by enzymatic treatments were evaluated by in vitro assays against DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radicals. Among the $H_2O$ and EtOH extracts from five different carbohydrases treated, the EtOH extract from viscozyme-treated hamcho cake had higher yield and phenolic content, and exhibited the strongest radical scavenging activity against DPPH ($IC_{50}=186.91\;{\mu}g/mL$), superoxide ($IC_{50}=87.54\;{\mu}g/mL$), and hydroxyl radicals ($IC_{50}=367.07\;{\mu}g/mL$). Antioxidant assay-guided fractionation and purification of the EtOH extract led to isolation and identification of five phenolic compounds, procatechuic, ferulic and caffeic acids, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. Most of these phenolic compounds exhibited considerable DPPH, superoxide, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, and in particular, caffeic and ferulic acids had stronger superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities than the well-known antioxidant radical scavenger, (+)-catechin (p<0.05). Quercetin and isorhamnetin were the primary compounds responsible for the strong antioxidant activity in the EtOH extract of the viscozyme-treated hamcho cake. Meanwhile, these five phenolic compounds were detected in the EtOH extract of the viscozyme-treated hamcho cake at the following levels (dry base of hamcho); procatechuic acid (1.54 mg%), caffeic acid (6.87 mg%), ferulic acid (8.45 mg%), quercetin (12.63 mg%), and isorhamnetin (6.65 mg%). However, three of these phenolic compounds (procatechuic, caffeic acid, and ferulic acids) were detectable in the $H_2O$ extract of viscozyme-treated hamcho juice. These results suggest that the EtOH extract of viscozyme-treated hamcho cake may be a potential source of natural antioxidants.