Abstract

FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY OF SELECTED PLANTS

Marimuthu Krishnaveni *, Kaveri Lavanya, Palanisamy Magesh, Kannan Ponraj,Ravanan Kalimuthu and George Jasbin Shyni

ABSTRACT

The most effective way to eliminate free radicals which cause the oxidative stress is carried out with the help of antioxidants. Hence, it was aimed to work on antioxidant activities of plants collected from road sides of two different locations. Plants collected from road sides of railway junction was named as location 1 and road sides of its residential area as location 2. Twelve plants that were available in both the location were selected for the present study. Fresh leaves were used for the analysis of secondary metabolites, antioxidant activities by following standard methods. Among the plants studied in location 1, Syzygium cumini showed higher phenolics. Reducing power, total antioxidant activity was higher with Ficus carica, Pongamia pinnata, whereas Polyalthia longifolia showed higher nitric oxide, metal chelating activity. Among the plants studied in location 2, Pithecellobium dulce showed higher phenol content and Albizia saman, Ficus religiosa showed higher reducing power activity. Syzygium cumini had higher antioxidant activity. Nitric oxide scavenging and metal chelating activity was good with Ficus religiosa. Mangifera indica showed higher flavonoid content in both the locations studied. Antioxidant activities of plant species might be induced by phenolics, flavonoids as well as upon the pollution load contained in it.

Keywords: Antioxidant activity, plants, railway junction, road sides, secondary metabolites.