Antioxidant Efficacy And Phytochemical Composition Of Selected Herbal Extracts Used In Indian Medicine

Abstract

The current study investigates the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activities of five medicinal plants traditionally used in Indian medicine for the treatment of inflammation, cancer, and oxidative stress-related conditions. The selected plant species (Lantana camara, Ipomoea cairica, Callicarpa macrophylla, Cordia obliqua, and Aloe barbadensis miller) were subjected to hydroalcoholic extraction. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of key bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, tannins, alkaloids, and glycosides, all of which are associated with notable antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were also determined; with Aloe barbadensis miller exhibiting the highest phenolic content (116.34 mg/g) and flavonoid content (88.64 mg/g). The antioxidant potential was evaluated using DPPH free radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and reducing power assays. Aloe barbadensis miller displayed the highest antioxidant activity, with strong radical scavenging ability, followed by Callicarpa macrophylla and Lantana camara. These findings suggest that the studied plant species, particularly Aloe barbadensis miller, have strong potential as natural antioxidants and could be valuable in developing therapies targeting oxidative stress-related diseases.