ABSTRACT:
The aim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the in vitro antioxidant activity of different parts of the plant Moringa oleifera lam. Antioxidant activity was measured based on the DPPH radical scavenging assay, Nitric oxide scavenging assay, determination of total phenol, total flavonoids, total antioxidant content and reducing power assay. Ethyl acetate fraction of both bark and leaves showed potent free radical scavenging activity with IC50 value of 14.47 and 29.91 (µg/ml) respectively. The IC50 value of standard (Ascorbic acid) was 33.77 (µg/ml). It was observed that ethyl acetate fraction of fruit contain highest amount of phenolics (613.023±4.11108) expressed as mg Gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/gm of plant extract. In case of total flavonoid content, pet ether fraction of bark contains 2453.1±16.4443 (expressed as mg of quercetin equivalents/gm of plant extract). All fractions contains significant amount of ascorbic acid equivalents ranging from 445.581±0.8222-1162.44±82.222 as mg of ascorbic acid equivalents per gram of plant extract. In case of nitric oxide scavenging assay, ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions of bark and fruit of Moringa oleifera showed potential antioxidant effect having IC50 values ranging from 2.9-87.83 µg/ml. For reducing power assay, all extracts showed increase in the absorbance with increase in concentration. The present study supplements and at the same time compared the presence of antioxidant compounds in different parts of the plant M. oleifera. The next step is to identify the individual compound and their role in different chronic diseases.