Abstract

The methanolic crude extracts of Desmodium gangeticum (Linn.), Eclipta alba(Linn.) Ocimum sanctum (Linn.), Piper longum (Linn.), Solanum nigrum (Linn.) and Amaranthus caudatus (Linn.) were screened for their free radical scavenging properties using ascorbic acid as standard antioxidant. Free radical scavenging activity was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. The overall antioxidant activity of D. gangeticum was found to be the strongest, followed in descending order by A. caudatus, S. nigrum, P. longum,E. alba and O. sanctum. The IC₅₀ values of the extracts ranged between 0.05 ± 0 and 0.19 ± 0 mg/l_. The ascorbic acid levels varied from 3.86 ± 0.20 to 21.33 ± 1.49 mg/100g and the carotenoids content were observed between 9.0 ± 0.24 to 24 ± 1.16 mg/100g in plant extracts. The highest total phenols content were found to be in O. sanctum (Linn.) with the value 48.93 ± 0.24 mg/g. The present study reveals that the selected plants would exert several beneficial effects by virtue of their antioxidant activity and could be harnessed as drug formulation.

Key words: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl, antioxidant, phenol, radical scavenger.