Reactive oxygen species damage biomolecules such as lipids, proteins, sugars and DNA, which can not only lead to various disease but also oxidative damage resulting aging. In order to search for antioxidants from plants, the antioxidant effects of the MeOH extracts from 182 plants were evaluated. The results showed that thirteen plant extracts exhibited antioxidant activity (>80%) in DPPH radical assay, seven plant extracts demonstrated antioxidant activity (>40%) in the hydroxyl radical assay and eighteen plant extracts were active (>80%) in the lipid peroxidation assay. In particular, the extracts of Distylium racemosum (Hamamelidaceae), Astilbe koreana (Saxifragaceae), Astilbe chinensis and Euphorbia supina (Euphorbiaceae) were identified as potent principles of antioxidant activity in all the assay systems.