Consumption of plant foods has been associated with a reduced risk of several diseases including cardiovascular and cancer. This is supported by their content of phytochemicals which provide a variety of pharmacological properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the content of antioxidant compounds with polyphenolic structure from seven different red cabbage samples, as well as their antioxidant and antihaemolytic activity.The mean values of total anthocyanins and flavonoids of the investigated ethanolic and acidified ethanolic extracts were 1228.81 mg 100g-1 DM and 2402.27 mg quercetin 100g-1 DM, respectively. The results indicate a positive correlation of anthocyanins with flavonoids. We report strong antioxidant activity of the crude extracts as measured by relevant assays such as Folin-Ciocalteu and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Good positive correlations were found between FRAP and flavonoids, and between phenolics and anthocyanins, respectively. We also describe the cytoprotective effects of the ethanolic crude extracts against free-radical induced oxidative damage in erythrocytes.The present study demonstrates the high content and activity of antioxidant compounds in red cabbages from different geographic regions. In addition, it provides the first scientific evidence for a protective role against cytotoxic effects of reactive oxygen species in erythrocytes linked to different sample sources. Keywords red cabbage, anthocyanins, phenolics, antioxidant, induced haemolysis SIMONA OANCEA et al.