Antioxidant properties of wax from Yugoslavian oakmoss (Evernia prunastri)

Synopsis Wax from Yugoslavian oakmoss resulting from the industrial benzene extraction of the vegetable matter was extracted by solvents of different polarities. The wax and the extracts were tested for antioxidant activities using (+) limonene as peroxidizable test substrate and were found to have such activity. The extracts are more active than the wax itself. Although not directly usable because of still too low activity, the wax and the extracts contain a small amount of substance with antioxidant activity comparable to that of the usual synthetic antioxidants.