Abstract

Nine plants from the Puna ecoregion of northern Chile, traditionally used in ethnomedicine, were studied. The total content of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant capacity (ABTS, FRAP, and ORAC) were determined both in the dry material and in the infusions. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the antioxidant capacity for some of these plants and their infusions. Furthermore, these results show the diversity and complexity of the plants of the Chilean highlands with high potential to be used as a source of natural antioxidants in the reformulation and development of healthier foods.