Comparative Evaluation of the Antioxidant Potential of Selected Indian Medicinal Plants (Rasayanas).
M. Rama Rao¹*, S. V. Raja Gopal¹, A. D. Naveen Kumar1 and G. Satyanvani²1Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Gitam University, Visakhapatnam (India).
2Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, Gitam University, Visakhapatnam (India).
Corresponding Author E-maiil:ramaraomalla@rediffmail.com.rrmalla@gitam.edu
Abstract: A number of Indian medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years in the traditional system of Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurvedic system that provides protection from diseases of ageing is called rasayana. This group of plants generally possessing strong antioxidant activity, but only a few have been investigated in detail. In the present study, eight such plants are screened for the presence of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Among the enzymatic antioxidants studied in medicinal plants, SOD and catalase are predominant in A. vera and peroxidase in A. indica where as non-enzymatic antioxidants such as reduced glutathione and vitamin C are predominant in O. sanctum and total phenolic in E. hirta. The effect of the plant extracts on lipid peroxidation are as follows: O. sanctum (IC 50=58µg/ml) >E. hirta (IC 50 = 60µg/ml)>T.procumbens (IC 50=62µg/ml)> A. vera (IC 50=65 µg/ml) >A. indica (IC50=75 µg/ml) >P. betel (IC50 =76 µg/ml) >S. cumini (IC50=85 µg/ml) >C. gigantea (IC50 = 90 µg/ml). The present study clearly emphasizing the antioxidant potential of these plants and their importance in rasayana.
Keywords: Indian medicinal plants; Rasayana; antioxidant activity; lipid peroxidation Back to TOC