Characterization of antioxidant activity of extract from Artemisia vulgaris.

Recent investigations have shown that the antioxidant properties of plants could be correlated with oxidative stress defense and different human diseases. In this respect flavonoids and other polyphenolic compounds have gained the greatest attention. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of aqueous extract of Artemisia vulgaris. The plant extract was tested for DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl, 2-picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging, nitric oxide radical scavenging, reducing power assays, total phenol, flavonoid and flavonol content. Determination of serum ascorbic acid level, blood glutathione level and superoxide dismutase activity in rats treated with 100 mg/Kg of Artemisia vulgaris extract. The extract exhibited scavenging potential with IC50 value of 11.4 micro g/ ml for DPPH, the value were found to close to those of standard rutin (10 micro g/ ml).On the other hand Artemisia vulgaris extract exhibited nitric oxide scavenging activity with IC50 value 125 mg/ ml. The reducing power of the extract depends on the amount of extract. The content of phenolic compounds (mg/g) in aqueous extract was found 19 +/- 0.16 mg/g plant extract and expressed in gallic acid equivalents (GAE). The flavonoidal and flavonol contents were found to be 7.96 +/- 0.76 and 3.4 +/- 0.0 respectively mg/g plant extract in rutin equivalent. The treatment of rats with aqueous extract of Artemisia vulgaris resulted in a significant increase in blood glutathione level, superoxide dismutase activity and serum ascorbic acid level as compared to their corresponding controls. The results obtained in the present study indicate that aqueous extract of Artemisia vulgaris is a potential source of natural antioxidants.