EVALUATION OF IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN EDIBLE FRUITS OF EHRETIA LAEVIS ROXB.

Abstract

Four successive extracts of the fruits of Ehretia laevis were subjected to preliminary phytochemical analysis, total phenols, tannins, flavonoid and Vitamin C content analysis and subjected to in vitro antioxidant activity using eight different test methods including Reducing ability, Ferrous chelating and metal chelating ability, DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), Hydroxyl radical, Hydrogen peroxide, Nitric oxide radical scavenging abilities. The total phenol and flavonoid contents in the methanol extract were found to be higher than that of other extracts. The reducing power ability of the methanol extract was commendable with IC₅₀ value of 27.33 ± 0.45µg/ml. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of the hexane extract was richer than that of the methanol extract. Overall, methanol extract was found to have high antioxidant potential. This antioxidant potential along with good phenolic content tends to pave this wild plant fruit suggested for domesticate and health supplement which will definitely fragile the disease prone.