IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF DIFFERENT SOLVENT FRACTIONS FROM THE ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF HIBISCUS ROSA SINENSIS PETALS

Overproduction of free radicals can cause oxidative damage to biomolecules (e.g., lipids, proteins, DNA), eventually leading to many chronic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, cancer, diabetes, aging, and other degenerative diseases in humans. Plants may contain a wide variety of free radical scavenging molecules, such as phenolic compounds, nitrogen compounds, vitamins, terpenoids, and some other endogenous metabolites, which are rich in antioxidant activity. In the present study in-vitro antioxidant potential of various fractions of Hibiscus rosa sinensis petal (HRS) ethanolic extract was investigated. Fractions prepared from crude ethanolic extract of HRS were concentrated and used for various in-vitro assays. Ethyl acetate fraction of HRS (EHRS) had a very high content of total phenolics and flavonoids. DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀-9µg/ml) of EHRS was comparable with standard Quercetin. Superoxide, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities of EHRS were also found higher than other fractions. The total antioxidant activity and reducing power were also high in EHRS. So the study suggests that EHRS may be a potential source of bioactive substances with multifaceted activity.