In vitro free radical scavenging activity of leaf extracts from Mimusops elengi

INTRODUCTION Antioxidants protect living organisms from damage caused by uncontrolled production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the concomitant lipid peroxidation, protein damage and DNA strand breaking. Current interest is focused on the potential role of antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes in the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis, heart failure, neurodegenerative disorders, aging, cancer, diabetes mellitus and several others diseases. [1] Antioxidants are added to a variety of foods to prevent free radical induced lipid peroxidation, which is responsible for the development of off-flavors and the undesirable chemical compounds in food. [2] These ROS cause destructive and irreversible damage to the components of a cell, such as lipids, proteins DNA and other macromolecules. Although normal cells possess antioxidant defense systems against ROS in the cells induces diseases such as cancer and aging. [3] ROS are formed and degraded by all aerobic organisms. ROS can readily react with most biomolecules including proteins, lipids, lipoproteins and DNA. Exogenous chemical and endogenous metabolic processes in the human body or in the food system might produce highly reactive oxygen species, which are capable of oxidizing biological molecules, resulting in tissue damage and cell death. When the mechanism of antioxidant protection becomes unbalanced by exogenous and endogenous factors, it results in inflammation, diabetes, genotoxicity, cancer and accelerating aging. [4] Antioxidant supplements or foods containing antioxidants may be used to help the human body reduce oxidative damage. The most commonly used antioxidants are BHA, BHT, propyl gallate and tertbutyl-hydroquinone. [5] However, they have been suspected of being responsible for liver damage and carcinogenesis in laboratory animals. Therefore, the development and use of more effective antioxidants is desired. Traditional medicine worldwide is being reevaluated by extensive research on different plant species and their therapeutic principles. Plants produce antioxidants to control the oxidative stress caused by sunbeams and oxygen, they can represent a source of new compounds with antioxidant activity. Mimusops elengi L. (Sapotaceae), commonly known as Bakul in Sanskrit and Bengali is a medium-sized Research Article