FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY OF FLAVONOID CONTAINING LEAF EXTRACTS OF Stevia rebaudiana Bert.

To evaluate the free radical scavenging activity of flavonoids containing extracts of Stevia leaf. Alcoholic. Successive butanolic and alcoholic extracts of leaves were examined for free radical scavenging activity using BHT (tert-butylhydroxytolune) as a positive control by in vitro models. Successive alcoholic extract showed remarkable free radical scavenging activity. The IC(50) was found to be 140 μg and 76 ig of successive alcoholic and BHT respectively in DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay method. The Dot-Blot test on silica layers also showed thescavenging activity of free radical of flavonoids containing extracts. The successive alcoholic extract shown significant antioxidant activity.