ANTI-OXIDANT ACTIVITY OF SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE HIMALAYAN REGION

Natural medicines and nutraceuticals are good sources of antioxidant and are gaining popularity for their capacity to enhance, healthprotective effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant activity of some natural medicine from the Himalayan region of Nepal. Carefully collected plant materials were subjected to maceration with methanol for about 48 hours. Anti-oxidant activity of methanolic extracts was assessed using DPPH as a free radical in different concentrations (0. 1 mu g/ml, 1 mu g/ml, 10 mu g/ml, 100 mu g/ml). Percent inhibition and effective Concentration (EC50) values were calculated. EC50 of Acacia catechu (0.89 ae g/ml), Cissus repens (3.44 mu g/ml) Psidium guajava (3.65 mu g/ml) were calculated and found to be more effective than ascorbic acid (4.48 mu g/ml). Drynaria propinque (5.21 mu g/ml) Eskemukerjea megacarpum (5.24 mu g/ml) and Nelumbo nucifera (6.76 mu g/ml) were comparable to standard anti-oxidants whereas Ficus relifiosa, Tinospora sinensis, Elaeocarpus sphaericus, and Cannavis sativa showed poor free radical-scavenging activity. Our results revealed that Acacia catechu (resin) showed greater anti-oxidant activity than other extracts and standard, suggesting that it could be the better anti-oxidant and diseases preventive remedies and should be developed as a future pharmaceutical or nutraceutical.