In vitro antioxidant studies of Ficus racemosa Linn. root

Antioxidants play an important role in inhibiting and scavenging free radicals, thus providing protection to humans against infections and degenerative diseases. Modern research is now directed towards natural antioxidants originated from plants due to safe therapeutics. Antioxidant activity of ethyl acetate extract of Ficus racemosa (FREA) root was investigated for its free radical scavenging activity by adopting various in vitro models. The extract was investigated for its antioxidant activity using Barotene-linoleate oxidation method, 1,1-diphenyl, 2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing capacity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and determination of total phenolic content using Folin-Ciocalteu’s phenolic reagent. FREA clearly indicated the polyphenolic content (hRf 89.3, 84.0, 74.6, 86.6). FREA at 250 µg/ml concentration showed maximum scavenging activity of DPPH radical upto 73.11% and for hydrogen peroxide upto 65.42% at 1000 µg/mL.Reducing power of FREA was also dose dependent. The measurement of total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteu’s phenol reagent indicated that 1mg of FREA contains 8.8 µg equivalent of gallic acid. The antioxidant property of the extract may be due to presence of phenolic content.