Protection of Green Leafy Vegetable Extracts Against Oxidation of Human Low Density Lipoprotein

Oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) is regarded to play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. In the present study, salad vegetables with a remarkable DPPH radical-scavenging activity were extracted with methanol, and the methanol extracts were evaluated for the inhibition of $Cu^{2+}$-induced oxidation of human LDL. Separately, the amount of total phenolics was determined colorimetrically using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The vegetable extracts, expressing a strong inhibition of LDL oxidation ($IC_{50}$ values, <$100\;{\mu}g/mL$), were from angelica, dandelion, mustard leaf, and water spinach, which contained relatively high level of polyphenol content. Noteworthy, a highly positive correlation was observed between inhibition of LDL oxidation and amount of total polyphenol (p<0.01). Based on these results, it is suggested that salad vegetables, especially angelica, dandelion, and mustard leaf, may be used as easily accessible sources of natural antioxidants, especially in anti-atherosclerosis.