Determination of In Vitro Antioxidant and Radical Scavenging Activities of Alcea rosea

Abstract

Background: Alcearoseabelongs to family Malvaceae and is used to treat various diseases on folklore levels in Kashmir valley. Objective of the study is to explore in vitroantioxidant potential of Alcearosea.

Materials and Methods: Antioxidant potential of extracts was evaluated by means of total phenolics, DPPH, reducing power and superoxide radical scavenging activity by using standard procedures.

Results: The highest phenolic content of 1157.43 ± 57.87mg GAE/g was observed in methanol extract followed by ethyl acetate (690 ±22.6 mg GAE/g) extract.At concentration of 700 µg/mL, DPPH radical scavenging activity of methanol extract was (88±4.72%) IC₅₀(368 µg/ml) and ethyl acetate (80±3.05%) IC₅₀(393µg/ml). The reducing power of the extracts increased in a concentration dependent manner. Superoxide radical scavenging activity of Alcearoseaextracts increased in a dose dependent manner with IC₅₀ values 31.10 µg/ml (methanol) and 36.76 µg/ml (ethyl acetate extract).

Conclusion: These results clearly indicate that Alcearoseaextracts possesses the free radical savaging activity as such can be active as potential antioxidant agent against various oxidative stress related pathological conditions.