Evaluation of antioxidant effectiveness of a few herbal plants.

We have screened a number of plants from the Indian soil for potential antioxidant properties out of which fifteen extracts were found to be positive. Leaves/bulk from the plants were crushed and extracted with organic solvents by three different ways. The first group of plants were extracted with CHCL3:CH3OH (2:1), evaporated, partitioned between petroleum ether and methanol (9:1), aqueous methanolic part re-partitioned between methanol:H2O (4:1) and dichloromethane. Methanol was evaporated from the aqueous methanolic part and extracted with n-butanol. The second group of plants were extracted with methanol followed by partitioning between petroleum ether and CH3OH. The rest of the extraction procedure was the same as above. A third extraction procedure was used for Ocimum sanctum which after extraction with CHCL3:CH3OH (2:1), partitioned between CCL4 and CH3OH:H2O (9:1). Aqueous methanolic part was repartitioned between CH3OH:H2O (4:1) and CHCl3 and CHCl3 soluble part was used for the study. Free radical scavenging activities of the plant extracts were examined by chemiluminescence method. Peroxyl radical was generated from 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH), superoxide radical (O2-) from xanthine/xanthine oxidase (XO) and hydroxyl radical (OH) from Xanthine/XO/FeCl3/ EDTA. In addition, O2- and OH. scavenging activities were also determined by cytochrome C reduction and deoxyribose oxidation methods, respectively. The results of this study demonstrate that these plant extracts possess potent antioxidant activities.