title: Antioxidant activities of leaf galls extracts of Terminalia chebula (Gaertn.) Retz. (Combretaceae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Free radicals are implicated in several metabolic diseases and the antioxidant therapy has gained an utmost importance in the treatment. The medicinal properties of plants have been investigated and explored for their potent antioxidant activities to counteract metabolic disorders. In this study, the chemical composition and free radical scavenging potential of leaf gall extracts (ethanol, petroleum ether, chloroform and aqueous) of Terminelia chebula is evaluated, which is extensively used in the preparation of traditiona medications to treat various metabolic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The presences of phenolics, flavonoids, triterpens, saponins, glycosides, phytosterols, reducing sugars were identified in the extracts according to standard procedures. The free radical scavenging activities of the extract were also analysed by standard procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The methanol extract had the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content. The antioxidant activities of leaf gall extracts were examined using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Super oxide radical scavenging, Hydroxyl scavenging and ferric reducing power (FRAP) methods. In all the methods, the ethanolic extract showed higher free radical scavenging potential than all the other extracts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the higher content of both total phenolics and flavonoids were found in the ethanolic extract, so the significantly high antioxidant activity can be positively correlated to the high content of total polyphenols/flavonoids of the ethanol extract. The results of this study confirm the folklore use of T. chebula leaves gall extracts as a natural antioxidant and justify its ethnobotanical use. Further, the results of antioxidant properties encourage the use of T. chebula leave gall extracts for medicinal health, functional food and nutraceutical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, School of Graduate Studies, Jain University, India.|Research Unit in Vrukshayurveda, A Division of Centre for Advanced Studies in Biosciences, Jain University, India.|PG Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Kuvempu University, India.
authors.forename: Ravi Shankara Birur
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Eshwarappa
authors.affiliation: PG Department of Studies and Research in Biotechnology, Kuvempu University, India.
authors.forename: Y L
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Ramachandra
authors.affiliation: Research Unit in Vrukshayurveda, A Division of Centre for Advanced Studies in Biosciences, Jain University, India.
authors.forename: Sundara Rajan
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Subaramaihha
authors.affiliation: Research Unit in Vrukshayurveda, A Division of Centre for Advanced Studies in Biosciences, Jain University, India.
authors.forename: Sujan Ganapathy Pasura
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Subbaiah
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Mysore, India.
authors.forename: Richard Surendranath
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.affiliation: Toxinology/Toxicology and Drug Discovery Unit, Centre for Emerging Technologies (CET), India.
authors.forename: Bhadrapura Lakkappa
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Dhananjaya
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000032:analysis*; D007194:India; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D010941:Plant Tumors / Q000191:economics; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D029766:Terminalia / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Terminelia chebula; antioxidant; drug; gallic acid; galls; metabolic diseases; plants