Comparison of the bioactive components and antioxidant activities of wild-type Zanthoxylum nitidum roots from various regions of Southern China

Zanthoxylum nitidum is a traditional Chinese herb, but limited information is available concerning its antioxidant activity of Z. nitidum. In this study, the bioactive components, content, and antioxidant activity of Z. nitidum roots from various regions in southern China were detected and evaluated. The results revealed that the highest nitidine chloride content found in S13. The S1 contained significantly higher concentrations of hesperidin, total flavonoids, and total phenols than other samples. The samples from S13, S1, and S12 had the strongest comprehensive antioxidant activity. Stoichiometric analysis revealed that samples from various regions were effectively identified and classified. This is the first study to investigate the antioxidant activity of wild-type Z. nitidum in southern China. It lays the groundwork for Z. nitidum harvesting, origin identification, sensible use, as well as the quality evaluation of Z. nitidum resources, particularly in vitro antioxidant activity assessment.