Study of antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity of cinnamon (Cinamomum tamala), ginger (Zingiber officinale) and turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Ethanol extract of ginger, turmeric and cinnamon was assessed for its antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity. The antioxidant activity was determined by measuring FRAP (ferric reducing-antioxidant power) assay. The antibacterial efficacy was determined using paper disc method against different gram negative bacterial and sensitivity in terms of zones of inhibition of all extract were also determined. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using Proteinase inhibitory assay. Aspirin was used as a standard drug for the study of anti-inflammatory activity. The result shows that the ethanolic extract of the ginger and turmeric were effective against all the bacteria tested, where as the ethanolic extract of cinnamon was failure in inhibiting the growth of all bacteria tested. The ethanolic extract of ginger possessed strong antioxidant activity in FRAP method. The ethanolic extracts of ginger shows the largest antioxidant FRAP value where as the turmeric ethanolic extract showed the minimum antioxidant FRAP value which were given as 3.86 mM/100gm and 0.38 mM/100gm respectively. The FRAP value for the ethanolic cinnamon extract was found to be 0.40 mM/100gm. The ethanolic extract of ginger and turmeric also showed in vitro anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the proteinase activity. Proteinase activity was significantly inhibited by ginger (78.49%), turmeric (66.48%) and cinnamon (58.72%) at 800ug/ml concentration. From the result it is concluded that the ginger, turmeric and cinnamon ethanol extract showed the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity where as the ginger and turmeric ethanol extract exhibited the antibacterial activity.