Genesis and development of DPPH method of antioxidant assay.

α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method offers the first approach for evaluating the antioxidant potential of a compound, an extract or other biological sources. This is the simplest method, wherein the prospective compound or extract is mixed with DPPH solution and absorbance is recorded after a defined period. However, with the advancement and sophistication in instrumental techniques, the method has undergone various modifications to suit the requirements, even though the basic approach remains same in all of them. This article presents a critical review on various developments to the DPPH method.