Free and bound phenolic profiles and antioxidant activity of milled fractions of different indica rice varieties cultivated in southern China.

•Free & bound antioxidant phenolics in endosperm and bran of indica rice investigated.•Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of bran/embryo mainly exist in free form.•The endosperm fraction contains both free and bound forms of phenolics.•Bran/embryo fraction contributes most to phenolics content and total antioxidant activity.•Ferulic and coumaric acid in bound forms were distributed mainly in bran/embryo.