Abstract

INTRODUCTION: phenolic compounds are well-known antioxidants and their regular ingestion contribute to improve antioxidant status of plasma. Phytochemical findings describe phenolic compounds in Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz leaves, therefore, their administration in herbal teas may support the prevention of diseases whose etiology lies in the oxidative stress. OBJETIVE: to evaluate the antioxidant capacity of the herbal tea and the extracts from dry Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz leaves. METHODS: the leaves underwent a phenolic extraction process with successive solvents, and the stabilizing capacity of radical 2,2´- azino-di-(3-etilbenzotiazolin-6-sulfonatodiamonio) and hydroxyl both from extracts and 1 % tea was evaluated. Also the antioxidant capacity of plasma before and after taking the tea was evaluated according to the etnomedical use. RESULTS: the extracts obtained with polar solvents showed the stabilizing capacity of free radicals and the antioxidant capacity of plasma which, after taking A. chilensis tea, increased to 30.27% as an average. CONCLUSION: herbal tea and extracts from A. chilensis exhibited antioxidant capacity under the described conditions.