ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL AND FREE RADICALS SCAVENGING ACTIVITY BY CICER ARIETINUM LINN.

Abstract

Cicer Arietinum (Leguminosae) is an annual herb, known as local Indian name ‘Kala Chana’. Its root was extracted using solvents of different polarities and explored for in-vitro free radical scavenging activity. Preliminary assays of three different extracts of Cicer Arietinum root, scavenges 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl stable free radicals in concentration dependent manner. All studied extracts possess electron donating ability and reduction of ferric ion to ferrous in a cell free system at pH-7.4. It has also been found from total antioxidant capacity as assessed by reduction of molybdate showed Cicer arietinum root extracts to possess (standard) ascorbic acid equivalents per milligrams of the extracts. Hydro alcoholic root extract was found more effective when compared to alcoholic and water extracts in scavenging 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, reducing ferric ion and molybdate reduction in antioxidant capacity. The significant correlations exist between extract concentrations and percentage scavenging activity of radicals in all models. These results clearly indicate that Cicer Arietinum root is effective free radical scavenger and chain breaking antioxidant.