EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF CORCHORUS AESTUANS LINN LEAVES EXTRACTS

Abstract

The leaves of Corchorus aestuans Linn are said to cure gonorrhea and used in making an injection for urethral discharge. In the present study, the antioxidant potency of Corchorus aestuans Linn crude methanol and its fractionated extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate and water) have been investigated, employing three different established in vitro testing systems, such as scavenging activity on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, reducing power assay and β- carotene method. The data obtained in these testing systems clearly establish the antioxidant potency of Corchorus aestuans Linn. As such, this is the first report on the antioxidant activities of Corchorus aestuans Linn.