title: Evaluation of antioxidant effectiveness of a few herbal plants.
abstract: We have screened a number of plants from the Indian soil for potential antioxidant properties out of which fifteen extracts were found to be positive. Leaves/bulk from the plants were crushed and extracted with organic solvents by three different ways. The first group of plants were extracted with CHCL3:CH3OH (2:1), evaporated, partitioned between petroleum ether and methanol (9:1), aqueous methanolic part re-partitioned between methanol:H2O (4:1) and dichloromethane. Methanol was evaporated from the aqueous methanolic part and extracted with n-butanol. The second group of plants were extracted with methanol followed by partitioning between petroleum ether and CH3OH. The rest of the extraction procedure was the same as above. A third extraction procedure was used for Ocimum sanctum which after extraction with CHCL3:CH3OH (2:1), partitioned between CCL4 and CH3OH:H2O (9:1). Aqueous methanolic part was repartitioned between CH3OH:H2O (4:1) and CHCl3 and CHCl3 soluble part was used for the study. Free radical scavenging activities of the plant extracts were examined by chemiluminescence method. Peroxyl radical was generated from 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), superoxide radical (O2-) from xanthine/xanthine oxidase (XO) and hydroxyl radical (OH) from Xanthine/XO/FeCl3/ EDTA. In addition, O2- and OH. scavenging activities were also determined by cytochrome C reduction and deoxyribose oxidation methods, respectively. The results of this study demonstrate that these plant extracts possess potent antioxidant activities.
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT 06030-1110, USA.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maulik
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maulik
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bhandari
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Kagan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pakrashi
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003855:Deoxyribose / Q000737:chemistry; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013481:Superoxides
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013481:Superoxides; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D003855:Deoxyribose; D010100:Oxygen