PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF EVOLVULUS ALSINOIDES EXTRACTS

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an unpaired number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals can start a chain reaction, like dominoes. These free radicals become more lethal when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if this occurs. Free radicals play a crucial role in a complex interplay of different mechanisms in both normal ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. Free radicals and other reactive oxygen species are generated continuously via normal physiological processes, more so in pathological conditions. The different solvent extracts of Evolvulus alsinoides at different concentrations i.e. 0.1mg/ml, 0.2 mg/ml, 0.4 mg/ml, 0.6 mg/ml, 0.8 mg/ml and 1.0 mg/ml showed significant in-vitro antioxidant activity DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl -1- picrylhydrazyl) assay and hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay against standards L-ascorbic acid and Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) respectively. Therefore, the EC₅₀ values for DPPH assay are EEA=196.08±2.16 μg/ml and HAEA=307.66±1.72 μg/ml and for hydrogen peroxide assay EC₅₀ values are EEA= 460.20±0.632 μg/ml and HAEA=483.49±1.13 μg/ml.