In Vitro Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Alstonia Scholaris Linn

The present work is carried out to evaluate the antioxidant potential of fractions from ethanolic extract of Alstonia scholaris Linn. (Apocynaceae) using various in vitro tests including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) free radical scavenging, metal ion chelating, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, superoxide anion radical scavenging, and ferric thiocyanate reducing ability. Dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions were found to have significant (p<0.01) free radical scavenging and metal ion chelating properties, whereas the petroleum ether and n-butanol fractions lack the in vitro antioxidant property. These various antioxidant activities were compared to standard antioxidants such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and lascorbic acid. These results indicate that dichlormethane and ethyl acetate fractions of Alstonia scholaris Linn. possess antioxidant property. The results observed were comparable to antioxidant properties of BHA and l-ascorbic acid.