Abstract

The free radical inhibitory activity of Dhaura, anogeissus acuminata  extracted in chloroform, ethanol and water was investigated in vitro. The DPPH inhibition by the different stem extract depended on the concentration and the ethanol extract was found to be the most potent as the lower concentration of it was most effective in scavenging different free radicals. The analysis of superoxide radical scavenging activity showed that the aqueous extract was most effective when compared to chloroform and ethanol extracts. The different extracts of Dhaura also inhibited the generation of nitric oxide radical depending on its concentration and maximum effect was observed at 200μg/ml. Our study indicates that free radical scavenging activity of Dhaura affirms the medicinal use by the practitioners of folklore medicine.

Keywords

anogeissus acuminata, DPPH, superoxide, nitric oxide, endoplasmic reticulum, peroxisomes, mitochondria, EDTA, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; NBT, nitrobluetetrazolium; TCA, trichloroacetic acid; NED, N–(1–Naphthyl)ethylenediamine dihydrochloride