FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY OF RANDIA DUMETORUM LAMK FRUITS

Abstract

Free radicals are implicated for many diseases including Diabetes mellitus, arthritis, cancer, ageing etc. In treatment of these diseases, antioxidant therapy has gained utmost importance. Antioxidants can also help to repair damage already sustained by cells. Randia dumetorum Lamk. is a plant of medicinal important belongs to the family Rubiaceae. Polyphenols are good antioxidant. Fruits consist of Phenolic in large amount. It is traditionally used to cure diseases but no scientific data is available. Thus the objective of present study was aimed to check the antioxidant potential of Aqueous extract of Randia dumetorum fruits using different models viz. DPPH radical scavenging, iron chelating activity and nitric oxide scavenging assay. The results were analyzed statistically by regression method. The % scavenging activity at different concentrations was determined and the IC  value of the extracts was compared with that of standard, ascorbic acid. Its antioxidant activity was estimated by IC value and the values are 45.02 μg/ml (reducing power assay), 66 μg/ml, (DPPH scavenging assay) and 79.09 μg/ml (nitric oxide scavenging assay). In all the testing, a significant correlation existed between concentrations of the extract and percentage inhibition of free radicals, metal chelation. According to these results, it may be hypothesized that antioxidant effect of fruits could be related to presence of polyphenolic compounds. These results clearly indicate that Randia dumetorum is effective against free radical mediated diseases.