In Vitro Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Studies of Alcoholic Extract of Medicago Sativa L

Free radicals are implicated for many diseases including diabetes mellitus, arthritis, cancer, ageing. etc. In the treatment of these diseases, antioxidant therapy has gained utmost importance. Alcoholic extract of Medicago sativa was studied for its in vitro antioxidant activity using different models viz. DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, iron chelating activity, lipid peroxidation assay, nitric oxide scavenging assay, and alkaline DMSO assay. The results were analyzed statistically by the regression method. Its antioxidant activity was estimated by IC50 value and the values are 100.38 μg/ml (DPPH radical scavenging), 12.33 μg/ml (ABTS radical scavenging), 115.79 μg/ml (Iron chelating activity) and 49.06 μg/ml (lipid peroxidation), 21.77 μg/ml (nitric oxide scavenging) and 15.91 μg/ml (alkaline DMSO). In all the testing, a significant correlation existed between concentrations of the extract and percentage inhibition of free radicals, metal chelation or inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The antioxidant property may be related to the polyphenols and flavonoids present in the extract. These results clearly indicate that Medicago sativa is effective against free radical mediated disease.