RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY (2, 2-DIPHENYL-1- PICRYLHYDRAZYL) OF ACALYPHA INDICA LINN. (EUPHORBEACE FAMILY)

Antioxidants play an important role in human health protection. Many researchers and previous studies suggest that antioxidants reduce the risk for chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease etc. Primary sources of naturally occurring antioxidants are whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Plant sourced antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, carotenes, phenolic acids etc, have been recognized as having the potential to reduce disease risk. Most of the antioxidant compounds in a typical diet are derived from plant sources and belong to various classes of compounds with a wide variety of physical and chemical properties. 2, 2-Diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals are widely used in model systems to investigate the scavenging activity of several natural phytocompounds. DPPH assay is a rapid, simple and inexpensive method to measure antioxidant capacity of plant extracts or food. It involves the use of the free radical, DPPH which is widely used to test the ability of compounds to act as free radical scavengers or hydrogen donors and to evaluate antioxidant activity. When a solution of DPPH is mixed with that of a substance that can donate a hydrogen atom, then this gives rise to the reduced form (Dipheny-l-picrylhydrazine; non radical) with the loss of violet color. The present antioxidant work carried out on three organic solvents (methanol, chloroform and aqueous) using Acalypha indica Linn. (Euphorbeace family) plant extract with five different concentrations like 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 µg/ml. Among these, methanolic plant extract shows highest inhibition. BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole(µg/ml))has been used as standard reference.