Analysis of Antihemolysis Test and Its Relation to Antioxidant Activity from Red Ginger Rhizome Extract (Zingiber officinale var. Rubrum)

Abstract

Red ginger (Zingiber officinale var. rubrum) is a medicinal plant widely utilized as a raw material for herbal medicines due to its rich bioactive compounds, particularly phenolic antioxidants. This study aimed to evaluate the antihemolytic activity of red ginger rhizome extract and its relationship with antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content. A completely randomized design was applied with five extract concentrations (80, 100, 120, 140, and 160 ppm) and four replications. The rhizome extract was obtained through maceration using 70% ethanol. Antihemolytic activity was assessed using red blood cells subjected to oxidative stress, followed by extract treatment at a 1:1 ratio, with absorbance measured by UV–Vis spectrophotometry. Total phenolic content was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu method, while antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH radical scavenging assay expressed as IC₅₀ values. The results showed that the extract contained 160 mg/100 g total phenols and exhibited strong antioxidant activity with an IC₅₀ value of 68.4 ppm. The extract inhibited hemolysis by up to 81%, and a positive correlation was observed between phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and antihemolytic effects. These findings suggest that red ginger rhizome extract has promising potential as a natural antioxidant and antihemolytic agent for pharmaceutical and traditional medicine development.