title: Protective capacity of Artemisia annua as a potent antioxidant remedy against free radical damage.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the antioxidant capacity of four leaf-derived solvent extracts of Artemisia annua (A. annua), a medicinal plant widely touted for its vast phyto-therapeutic potential.
  
  
  METHODS
  A. annua leaves were extracted with four solvents (absolute ethanol, absolute methanol, 70% ethanol and 70% methanol), and extracts obtained studied by five complementary in vitro antioxidant test systems using ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and rutin as standard references.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The extracts remarkably inhibited lipid peroxidation (79.81%-86.70%), and erythrocyte haemolysis (40.02%-49.91%). Their IC50 values for hydroxyl, nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activities ranged from 2.39-3.81 mg/mL (superior to the standards), 107.24-144.49 µg/mL and 28.53-53.20 µg/mL, respectively. 70% alcohol extracts generally showed better antioxidant activity than absolute alcohol extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that A. annua leaf extracts have potent antioxidant activities that would have beneficial effect on human health, and aqueous organic solvents are superior to the absolute counterparts in yielding extracts with better antioxidant potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Peter Nkachukwu
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Chukwurah
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria ; Department of Biological Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, P.M.B 71 Yenagoa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Ebiamadon Andi
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Brisibe
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Aniefiok Ndubuisi
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Osuagwu
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Division, Department of Chemical Sciences, Niger Delta University, Yenagoa, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Tebekeme
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okoko
keywords: Antioxidants; Artemisia annua; Free radicals; Phyto-protection