IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF FRUITS OF HUGONIA MYSTAX L. (LINACEAE)

The plant Hugonia mystax L., is a woody evergreen liana belonging to the family Linaceae, locally knows as Modirakanni. Ethnobotanically the tender fruits were used for rheumatism and biological activities like antimicrobial were reported. Present study find outs the scientifically evidence of fruits of Hugonia mystax for its antioxidant property. The different extract of fruits was obtained by successive extraction with petroleum ether, chloroform and ethanol by soxlet method.  These extracts were taken for an in- vitro antioxidant study, was carried out by using various in vitro antioxidant screening models like DPPH radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content was determined. The successive plant extract showed good dose dependent activity by inhibiting DPPH and total phenolic content. Antioxidant activity of fruits showed a greater free radical sequestering activity. In the present study, ethanol extract showed a greater antioxidant activity was found to be 1000 µg/mL expressed as significant antioxidant activity of Hugonia mystax. This might be due to the presence of phytocompounds flavonoids, phenols, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids present in the preliminary phytochemical screening.