title: Comparative and quantitative analysis of antioxidant and scavenging potential of Indigofera tinctoria Linn. extracts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare and elucidate the antioxidant efficacy of ethanolic and hydroethanolic extracts of Indigofera tinctoria Linn. (Fabaceae family).
  
  
  METHODS
  Various in-vitro antioxidant assays and free radical-scavenging assays were done. Quantitative measurements of various phytoconstituents, reductive abilities and chelating potential were carried out along with standard compounds. Half inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for ethanol and hydroethanol extracts were analyzed and compared with respective standards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hydroethanolic extracts showed considerably more potent antioxidant activity in comparison to ethanol extracts. Hydroethanolic extracts had lower IC50 values than ethanol extracts in the case of DPPH, metal chelation and hydroxyl radical-scavenging capacity (829, 659 and 26.7 μg/mL) but had slightly higher values than ethanol in case of SO2- and NO2-scavenging activity (P<0.001 vs standard). Quantitative measurements also showed that the abundance of phenolic and flavonoid bioactive phytoconstituents were significantly (P<0.001) greater in hydroethanol extracts (212.920 and 149.770 mg GAE and rutin/g of plant extract respectively) than in ethanol extracts (211.691 and 132.603 mg GAE and rutin/g of plant extract respectively). Karl Pearson's correlation analysis (r2) between various antioxidant parameters and bioactive components also associated the antioxidant potential of I. tinctoria with various phytoconstituents, especially phenolics, flavonoids, saponins and tannins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study may be helpful to draw the attention of researchers towards the hydroethanol extracts of I. tinctoria, which has a high yield, and great prospects in herbal industries to produce inexpensive and powerful herbal products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali University, Rajasthan-304022, India; E-mail: drvshs@gmail.coma.
authors.forename: Rashmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Maa Aananad Mai Institute, Jaipur-12, Rajasthan-304022, India.
authors.forename: Shatruhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Banasthali University, Rajasthan-304022, India.
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D029883:Indigofera / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010936:Plant Extracts