• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1008-1012
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• 2009

We investigated the biological activities of ethanol extracts obtained from five endive cultivars. Free radical-scavenging activities of extracts from Redoria, Halifax, Vintor, Kibora, and Metafora cultivars were 94.2%, 60.8%, 66.6%, 70.0% and 67.4%, respectively. The extract from Redoria showed the highest activity among all the tested samples including BHT (Butylated hydroxyanisole) and vitamine C, known as antioxidant. Endive extracts slightly (17.5 - 38.6%) inhibited $\alpha$-glucosidase activity. However, there is no inhibitory activity against $\alpha$-amylase. In terms of proteolytic activity, all endive extracts showed strong activity than pancreatin (used as a positive control), and the extract of Redoria also exhibited stronger activity than other extracts as well as free radical scavenging activity. These results indicate that endive, especially the Redoria cultivar, can be used as a natural resource for development of antioxidants or materials aiding digestion.