COMPARITIVE ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF ASPARAGUS RACEMOSUS WITH ITS ALTERNATIVE SOURCE ASPARAGUS GONOCLADOS

B Priyanka
Department of Pharmacognosy, Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Jyothi M Joy
Department of Pharmacognosy, Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, India.
G Avinash Kumar
Department of Pharmacognosy, Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, India.
S Mohana Lakshmi
Department of Pharmacognosy, Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy, Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Antioxidant ,Ayurveda ,Asparagus racemosus ,Asparagus gonoclados ,Phenols ,Flavanoids ,DPPH ,

Antioxidants are vital substances which possess the ability to defend the body from damage caused by free radical induced oxidative stress. A variety of free radical scavenging antioxidants exists within the body, derived from dietary sources like fruits, vegetables and teas. Low levels of antioxidants or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, cause oxidative stress and may damage or kill cells. In recent years there has been an enhanced interest in the application of antioxidants to medical treatment as information is constantly gathered linking the development of human diseases to oxidative stress. Numerous medicinal plants, traditionally used for thousands of years, are present in a group of herbal formulations of the Indian traditional health care system (Ayurveda) named Rasayana proposed for their interesting antioxidant activities. Among the medicinal plants in Ayurvedic Rasayana the species of Asparagus is also eminent. This study was conducted to compare the antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts of roots of Asparagus racemosus with its substitute (alternative) Asparagus gonoclados. The Total Phenolic and Total Flavanoid contents were estimated using Gallic acid and Quercetin as standards respectively. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant assay method and reductive ability method using Butylated Hydroxy Toluene as standard. Methanol extracts of both the species of Asparagus illustrated the presence of Phenols and Flavanoids, DPPH Assay method and reductive ability method demonstrated nearer results, indicates similar activity. Hence, Asparagus gonoclados can be substituted with Asparagus racemosus.

2 , 2 , 2012