Study on the in vitro antioxidant properties of selected traditional medicinal plants

Abstract

Oxidative stress is the phenomenon by which the excessive production of free radicals and oxidants that cause detrimental effects to diseases and finally death. Plants are the rich source of antioxidants which have the potential to neutralize these reactive oxygen species,thereby preserving the redox equilibrium of the body. Western Ghats serves as anexcellent habitat for many endangered species of flora and a reservoir of edible source of food for many living beings. Some of the commonly available traditional plants like Ficus benghalensis, Psidium guajava, Beta vulgaris, Syzygium cumini were known to possess rich pharmacological properties. In the present study, we aim to evaluate and compare the in vitro antioxidant properties of the selected traditional medicinal plants using various radical scavenging and reducing capacity assays. Further, the structural elucidation of the presence of phytochemical compounds in the extract was carried out using Infrared (IR) spectra. The above investigation on the free radical scavenging properties and the determination of the functional groups of bioactive compounds may open up new interest on their applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.