Total antioxidant potential of selected indigenous plants and culinary spices

Abstract

The total antioxidant activity of selected indigenous plants and culinary spices was determined in vitro by phosphomolybdenum method. The antioxidant activity of each extract was expressed as ascorbic acid equivalents. Among the spices tested, Illicium verum (hook fruit) revealed strongest antioxidant potential followed by Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Bl. (Bark), Pimpinella anisum (seed), Myristica fragrans Houtt (seed), Terminalia chebula, Retz. (seed), Mentha piperata (leaf), Cuminum cyminum, L. (Seed) and Nigella sativa, Linn (seed). All the tested spices have exhibited greater antioxidant potential than that of ascorbic acid except for some concentrations of Mentha piperata (leaf), Cuminum cyminum, L. (Seed) and Nigella sativa, Linn (seed). Among the indigenous plants, antioxidant potential observed were in the following descending order; Amaranthus gangeticus (leaf), Gloriosa superba, L. (Tubers), Mangifera indica, L., Achyranthues aspera, L. (whole plant), Calotropis gigantea, R. Br. (Leaf) and Sesbania grandiflora, L. Pers (Leaf). The present study revealed that the tested plants could be used as natural sources of antioxidants or as nutritional supplements to counter the deleterious effects of the oxidative stress.