IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF VARIOUS EXTRACTS OF BARK OF FICUS RACEMOSA LINN. (MORACEAE)

The plant Ficus racemosa L., is a woody large deciduous tree distributed all over India, and grows in the evergreen forest, moist localities, along with the sides of ravines and banks of streams belonging to the family Moraceae, locally know as Attimara and Hindi known as Gular. Ethnobotanically the bark used for anti-diabetic, wounds, useful in asthma and piles recommended in uropathy and treatment of menorrhagia. Biological activities like anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhea, anti-diuretic, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, were reported. The present study finds outs the scientifical evidence of bark of Ficus racemosa L. for its antioxidant property using different screening models. The different extract of bark was obtained by successive extraction with petroleum ether (40-60 ºC), butanol, ethyl acetate, alcohol by Soxhlet method. These extracts were taken for an in-vitro antioxidant study, were carried out by using in-vitro antioxidant screening models like DPPH radical scavenging activity and total phenolic contents (TPC). The few successive plant extracts showed significant dose-dependent activity by using various in-vitro antioxidant models. Antioxidant activity of bark showed a greater free radical sequestering activity. In the present study, ethanol extract showed a greater antioxidant activity was found to be 100 µg/mL expressed as significant antioxidant activity of Ficus racemosa L. This might be due to the presence of phyto-compounds flavonoids, phenols, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids present in the preliminary phytochemical screening.