Abstract

IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF CHROMOLAENA ODORATA LEAVES

M. Ayub Ali, L. Inaotombi Devi*, C. Lalmuanthanga, C. Lalchhandama and M.C. Lallianchhunga

Abstract

Chromolaena odorata is a perennial weed belonging to the family Asteraceae known to have originated from South and Central America. It is used for treatment of a variety of ailments including malaria, fever, soft tissue wounds, skin infections, stop bleeding, sexually transmitted diseases etc. The fresh leaves of the plant were washed, air dried in shade, ground to powder and subjected to cold maceration using methanol as per the standard procedure, condensed by subjecting to a rotary evaporator and lyophilized. The methanolic extract prepared was analyzed for antioxidant activity by three different in vitro methods; namely (1) DPPH free radical scavenging activity, (2) Ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) assay and (3) Total phenolic contents by spectrophotometeric method. In the radical scavenging measurement method of DPPH and ferric iron reducing ability assay, the antioxidant activities were 56.39±3.98 mg and 23.75±2.04 mg Trolox equivalent respectively per gram of dried leaves while, the total phenolic content, which is said to have a direct relevance with antioxidant activity was determined to be 2.93±0.22 mg GAE per gm of dried leaves.

Keywords: Chromolaena odorata leaves, antioxidant activity, DPPH, FRAP, Total phenolic.