Abstract

IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF WHOLE PLANT EXTRACT OF POLYCARPAEA CORYMBOSA (L.) LAM (CARYOPHYLLACEAE)

Balamurugan, K. Sakthidevi, G. Mohan, V.R*

Ethnopharmacology unit, Research Department of Botany, V.O.Chidambaram College, Tuticorin-628008, Tamil Nadu.

ABSTRACT

Antioxidant activity of petroleum ether, benzene, ethyl acetate, methanol and ethanol extracts of the whole plant of Polycarpaea corymbosa have been tested using various antioxidant model systems viz., DPPH, hydroxyl, superoxide and ABTS. The methanol extract of whole plant showed potent hydroxyl, superoxide, ABTS radical cation scavenging activities. Ethanol extract of the plant showed strong DPPH radical scavenging activity. The maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) in all models viz., DPPH, hydroxyl, superoxide and ABTS radical cation scavenging activity of whole plant of Polycarpaea corymbosa were found to be 28.04, 26.93, 31.85 and 29.83μg/mL respectively at 1μg/mL concentration. This study indicates significant free radical scavenging potential of the whole plant of Polycarpaea corymbosa which can be exploited for the treatment of various free radical mediated ailments.

Keywords: In vitro antioxidant activity, flavonoid, DPPH, ABTS.