The peel from seven types of citrus was extracted with 80% methanol, and their phenolic compound content, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), inhibitory activities of nitric oxide (NO), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production induced by LPS and t-BHP in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells were measured. Total phenolic content was high in Yungkyool, Cheonhyehyang, and Jinkyool (30.6, 30.2,and 28.2 mg GAE/g, respectively), while total flavonoid content was high in Yungkyool and Jinkyool (30.3 and 25.5 mg RE/g, respectively). ORAC was the highest at 1,076 mM TE/g in Yungkyool, followed by Cheonhyehyang (1,012), Jinkyool (984), and Hallabong (914). High inhibitory activity against NO production was shown in Cheonhyehyang, Yungkyool, and Jinkyool with IC50 values of 215.3, 259.2, and 328.9 μg/mL, respectively. LPS-induced ROS production was inhibited by 16.4% and 12.8% in Hallabong and Jinkyool, while t-BHP-induced ROS production was inhibited by 28.7%, 26.1%, and 26.6% in Jinkyool, Hallabong, and Cheonhyehyang, respectively. Correlation coefficients between total phenolic, total flavonoid content, and ORAC were 0.884 and 0.855. Inhibitory activity against NO production showed higher correlation with total phenolic content than total flavonoid content. It was concluded that citrus peels had potent antioxidant activities and could be used as natural antioxidants in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
