Abstract: The 95% ethanol extract from lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) was fractionated by successive extraction with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and n-butanol. The contents of total phenols, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins and oleanolic acid in the crude extract and its fractions were evaluated as well as their antioxidant activities in vitro as indicated by radical scavenging capacities against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and (2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6- sulphonate (ABTS) radicals. Besides, the correlation between total phenols, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins or oleanolic acid and antioxidant activity was analyzed. Results indicated that different solvent extracts from lingonberry showed a significant antioxidant activity. The ethyl acetate-soluble and butyl alcohol-soluble fractions had higher free radical scavenging capacity, and the former exhibited the strongest DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 0.27 and 0.05 mg/mL, respectively. There was a positive correlation between the antioxidant activity of the different extracts and the contents of total phenols and total flavonoids.

Key words: lingonberries, antioxidant, total phenolics, total flavonoids, total anthocyanins, terpenoid