Background: Red earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus) has been used for centuries as an ingredient in Ayurvedic therapy and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The worm is used in the treatment of inflammation, hematological disorders, fever, hepatic disorders, joint pain, high blood pressure, and several other indications. To our knowledge, there is no data on the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of L. rubellus obtained from Bali.
Methods: Ethanolic extract of L. rubellus powder was made in The Laboratory of Division of Drug Development and Laboratory Animal, Integrated Biomedical Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University. Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity were investigated in The Laboratory of Food Analysis, Udayana University. Total phenolic content was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu method. Meanwhile, antioxidant capacity was determined using DPPH method.
Results: We found that ethanolic extract of L. rubellus powder had total phenolic content of 1016.31 mg/100 g gallic acid equivalent (GAE), and exhibited IC 50% of 12.33 mg/mL.
Conclusion: We conclude that ethanolic extract of L. rubellus powder contains phenolic acid and shows an antioxidant effect in vitro. L. rubellus powder can be potentially used as a natural antioxidant source to treat disorders associated with inflammation and oxidative stress.
