Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICALS OF CALAMUS TRAVANCORICUS AGAINST THE FREE RADICAL INDUCED DEGENERATIVE DISORDERS

H.N. Krishna Kumar* and Jyoti Bala Chauhan

Abstract

The biological activity of the extract of Calamus travancoricus Bedd.ex. Becc. & Hk.f. has so far remained unknown. The present work on the in vitro antioxidant activity of the ethanolic fruit extract of this plant is the first investigation. The study deals with phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of the ethanolic fruit extract of C. travancoricus. Phytochemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of terpenoids, steroids, tannins and Flavanoids. The total phenolic content of the extract was found to be 85.3mg per gram of the extract. The free radical scavenging activity of the extract was confirmed in a DPPH assay, which showed the stronger radical scavenging effect with IC50 value of 25 μg /ml. The extract exhibited dose dependent increase in the absorbance indicated that the fruits of C.travancoricus possess concentration dependent reducing power. The study clearly indicated that the extract was found to possess scavenging effects on superoxide anions at concentration dependent manner with 66% of inhibition. Likewise, the extract showed significant inhibition of hydroxyl radicals in a concentration dependent manner with an IC50 value of 75.3 μg /mL.

Keywords: Calamus travancoricus, Antioxidant activity, Phytochemicals, Free radicals.