Evaluation of Effect of Time of Collection on the Antioxidants Values of Mistletoes (Viscum album) Grown on Orange Tree

Aim: To investigate the effect of time of collection on the antioxidants values of mistletoes (Viscum album) grown on orange tree.

Methods: Aqueous leaves extracts of different time of harvest of Viscum album were prepared and standard methods were used to determine quantitatively the antioxidants values in the plant extracts.

Results: In the experiments, the total phenol content in aqueous leaves extracts of Viscum album was 19.5840 mg/g, at 6: 00 am, 55.4061 mg/g at 1:00 pm and the value of 86.3682 mg/g was recorded at 7:00 pm. The value of 0.344 mg/g was recorded for flavonoids at 6:00 am while the value of 0.676 mg/g was observed at 1:00 pm and at 7:00 pm it was 1.458 mg/g. The % of inhibition of DPPH content in aqueous leaves extracts of Viscum album was 36.819 mg/g, at 6: 00 am, 49.213 mg/g at 1:00 pm and the value of 61.203 mg/g was recorded at 7:00 pm. The antioxidants values were significant (P =0.05) when compared time of plants collection.

Conclusion: The results showed that the antioxidants values depend on the time of collection which was maximum when the leaves were obtained at dawn. It is therefore advisable that the use of this extract in herbal medicine should be encouraged and the plant should be plucked at dawn to maximise the antioxidants potential of the mistletoes.