ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF OCIMUM KILIMANDSCHARICUM USING HYDROXYL RADICAL SCAVENGING METHOD

Abstract

In our modern society, we are constantly being challenged by numerous diseases. The majority of these diseases are as a result of the stressful and unhealthy lifestyle that has been adopted by modern man. Due to the polluted environment, unhealthy lifestyles and fast food culture there is the overproduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in a human body. These reactive oxygen and nitrogen species have become the most important culprits for the development of neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, aging and many other diseases. Newer findings in the etiology of various diseases have implicated free radicals and oxidative species in the development of various diseases. So, to find the newer treatments of various diseases we should deeply research the area of antioxidants. Nature has provided us with various medicinal plants which contain phytochemicals that have potent antioxidant potentials. Himalayan herbs have been known since time immemorial to cure even uncurable diseases. The current study focuses on the antioxidant potential of ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Ocimum kilimandscharicum at very low concentrations using hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. This study aims to unravel the potentials of truly potent herbs in the field of antioxidants, which in future can provide cure to several diseases.

Keywords: antioxidants, free radicals, Ocimum kilimandscharicum.