EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIALS OF SELECTED INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS

Oxidative stress is found to be one of the major causes of health hazards in the present global scenario. The traditional herbs and medicinal plants have been investigated for the presence of natural antioxidants, which have incredible effects in the prevention of various oxidative stress associated diseases. The objective of present investigation is to assess the antioxidant capacity and phytochemical analysis of selected endemic medicinal plants viz., Abutilon indicum, Albezia odoratissima, Aglaia elaegnoides, Calicarpa tomentosa, Colebrookia oppostifolia and Pterocarpus marsupium. The antioxidant potentiality of these medicinal plants was assayed by 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl, superoxide radical scavenging and lipid peroxidation assays, total antioxidant potential by Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed that ethanolic bark extract of A. odoratissima showed positive results for the presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, anthraquinones and saponins. The plants with high phenol contents showed high antioxidant activity. The results showed that ethanolic bark extract of A. odoratissima exhibited highest antioxidant activity by possessing considerably high phenoliccontent.