CHOLESTEROL ESTERASE ENZYME INHIBITORY AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF LEAVES OF CAMELLIA SINENSIS (L.) KUNTZE. USING IN VITRO MODELS

The present study was to evaluate the in vitro cholesterol esterase enzyme inhibitory and in vitro antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of the leaves of Camellia sinensis (L.). Phytochemical screening of the extract shows the presence of flavonoids, phenolics and terpenoids. The extract shows ability to inhibit the enzyme with IC50 (82.46 +/- 0.74 mu g/ml) whereas that of standard, Orlistat (24.15 +/- 0.59 mu g/ml). Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity were also assessed by using the methods, IC50 values for Nitric oxide radical scavenging activity (396.83 +/- 0.83 mu g/ml), whereas for standard curcumin (260.38 +/- 0.66 mu g/ml), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (47.04 +/- 2.26 mu g/ml) and for quercetin (70.99 +/- 1.31 ae g/ml). Moreover, the extract was found to scavenge the superoxide with 50% inhibition at 308.17 +/- 23.25 mu g/ml and standard ascorbic acid at 225.08 +/- 2.44 mu g/ml, IC50 for ferrous chelating ability assay (44.12 +/- 4.63 mu g/ml) and of ascorbic acid (47.25 +/-.89 mu g/ml). Total content of flavonoids present in 1mg of extract was 19.8 +/- 0.11 mu g quercetin equivalents/mg. Results indicated that the extract shows potential bioactive compounds which might have a beneficial impact on diseases related to cholesterol synthesis and showed potential antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities.