Antioxidant and free radical scavenging potential of Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. methanolic fruit extract.
Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. (Cucurbitaceae) is a medicinal plant traditionally used as an abortifacient and to treat constipation, oedema, bacterial infections, cancer and diabetes. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the plant showed the presence of large amounts of phenolics and flavonoids. Subsequent quantification showed the presence of 0.74% (m/m) phenolics (calculated as gallic acid) and 0.13% (m/m) flavonoids calculated as catechin equivalents per 100 g of fresh mass. The presence of phenolic compounds prompted us to evaluate its antioxidant activity. In the present study, methanolic fruit extract of C. colocynthis was screened to evaluate its free radical scavenging effect. The highest antioxidant and free radical scavenging ability of the fruit extract was observed at a concentration of 2500 microg mL(-1).
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra-136119 Haryana, India.
Sunil
S
Kumar
Dinesh
D
Kumar
Manjusha
Kamal
K
Saroha
Nidhan
N
Singh
Bhoodev
B
Vashishta
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002392:Catechin / Q000737:chemistry; D029773:Citrullus / Q000737:chemistry; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000737:chemistry; D005638:Fruit; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*
D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D005609:Free Radicals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D005707:Gallic Acid; D002392:Catechin; D000432:Methanol