Abstract

IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF BLEPHARIS PERSICA (BURM F) O KUNTZE (SEEDS)

Vichitra Kaushik*, Gagandeep Chaudhary, Shoaib Ahmad and Vipin Saini

Abstract

Antioxidant activities of the ethanolic (90%) and aqueous extracts of seeds of Blepharis persica and total phenolic and flavonoids contents were investigated for free and peroxyl radicle scavenging activity, reducing capacity by in-vitro models. They were examined by a DPPH free radical scavenging and ferric reducing power (FRPA) as Non-site specific assays and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) as site specific assay. In Non-site specific assays showed significant scavenging activity for the ethanolic (90%) and aqueous extracts. Site-specific lipid peroxidation also confirms the peroxyl radical scavenging capacity of ethanolic (90%) and aqueous extracts results were compared with standard antioxidant (Butyl hydroxy toluene). In general, the ethanolic (90%) and aqueous extracts showed significant (P < 0.05) activity in all systems, such results might be attributed to the prominent antioxidant effect. The antioxidant activities of all the tested sample was concentration dependent. Based on the results obtained, it was conclude that the B. persica seeds ethanolic (90%) and aqueous extracts may be valuable natural antioxidant sources and as potentially applicable in both medicine and the healthy food industry.

Keywords: Antioxidant activity; DPPH; FRPA; Phenolic compounds; TBARS.