| Summary: | The aim of the present study was the investigation of the antioxidant activity of plant extracts from <i>Rosa canina, Rosa sempervivens</i> and <i>Pyrocantha coccinea</i>. The results showed that the bioactive compounds found at higher concentrations were in the <i>R. canina</i> extract: hyperoside, astragalin, rutin, (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin; in the <i>R. sempervirens</i> extract: quinic acid, (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, astragalin and hyperoside; and in the <i>P. coccinea</i> extract: hyperoside, rutin, (−)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, astragalin, vanillin, syringic acid and chlorogenic acid. The total polyphenolic content was 290.00, 267.67 and 226.93 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE)/g dw, and the total flavonoid content 118.56, 65.78 and 99.16 mg Catechin Equivalent (CE)/g dw for <i>R. caninna, R. sempervirens</i> and <i>P. coccinea</i> extracts, respectively. The extracts exhibited radical scavenging activity in DPPH and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS)•<sup>+</sup> assays and protection from ROO•-induced DNA damage in the following potency order: <i>R. canina</i> > <i>R. sempervirens</i> > <i>P. coccinea</i>. Finally, treatment with <i>R. canina</i> and <i>P. coccinea</i> extract significantly increased the levels of the antioxidant molecule glutathione, while <i>R. canina</i> extract significantly decreased Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in endothelial cells. The results herein indicated that the <i>R. canina</i> extract in particular may be used for developing food supplements or biofunctional foods for the prevention of oxidative stress-induced pathological conditions of endothelium.
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