FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF FICUS LACOR BUCH. HUM.

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential of ethanol extract from aerial roots of  Ficus lacor. Methods: Ethanol extract of aerial roots of Ficus lacor was used to study their total phenolic and flavonoids contents, in vitro antioxidant including radical scavenging of 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide (NO). Results: The ethanol extract showed significant results Total phenolic contents were estimated to be equivalents to 46.65 ± 1.75 mg of gallic acid equivalent and total flavonoids contents were 38.42 ± 2.46 mg of catechin/g equivalent. The percentage of DPPH and NO scavenging activity increased with increasing various concentration of extract. Conclusions: The results concluded that the extract have potential source of antioxidants of natural origin that could have great importance as therapeutic agents for biological system liable to free radical mediated reactions.

Key words: Antioxidant, Ficus lacor, DPPH, NO, phenolic content, flavanoid content