Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is known to contain water-soluble substances that improve antioxidant status due to the richness in antioxidants. Greenhouse experiment was carried out under different shading conditions during spring lettuce growing season. Shade significantly reduced shoot weight, number of leaves and chlorophyll content, while it increased shoot length of lettuce plants. The antioxidant potential of the individual fraction was in order of n-butanol 〉 ethyl acetate 〉 water 〉 n-hexane fraction, although was less than that of commonly used antioxidants, BHT and ascorbic acid. Fractions from lettuce plants dose-dependently increased DPPH free radical scavenging activity, in vitro test. By means of HPLC analysis, BuOH fraction of cultivar 'Hwahyang' (57.93 mg 100g-1) had the highest amount of antioxidant chi orogenic acid. Shading treatment increased average amount of chlorogenic acid of all cultivars in BuoH, EtOAc, hexane and water fractions by 33, 120, 144, and 58%, respectively. These results suggest that lettuce plants had potent antioxidant activity, and their activities were differently exhibited depending on cultivar and fraction.

• Sang-Uk Chon