PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND STUDY ON ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF OCIMUM CANUM HYDRO-ALCOHOLIC LEAF EXTRACTS

Abstract

Many herbal remedies individually or in combination have been recommended in various medical expositions for the cure of different diseases. Free radicals are implicated for many diseases including diabetes mellitus, arthritis, cancer, aging, etc. In the treatment of these diseases, antioxidant therapy has gained utmost importance. Currently there has been an increased interest globally to identify antioxidant compound that are pharmacologically potent and have low or no side effects. As plants are source of natural antioxidants, much attention has been gain to plants. The quest for natural antioxidants for dietary, cosmetic and pharmaceutical uses has become a major industrial and scientific research challenges over the last two decades. A variety of free radical scavenging antioxidants exists within the body in which many of them are derived from dietary sources like fruits, vegetables and teas.  The Ocimum canum , commonly known as ‘Kala Tulsi’, has been recognized in different system of traditional medicines for the treatment of different diseases and ailments of human beings. In this study, Antioxidant activity of the hydro-alcoholic extract of Ocimum canum was determined by various antioxidant assays. In all the testing, a significant correlation existed between concentrations of the extract and percentage inhibition of free radicals. These findings suggest that the hydro-alcoholic extracts are able to scavenge free radicals, by either hydrogen or electron donating mechanisms, and can therefore act as primary antioxidants. The antioxidant property may be related to the phenols and flavonoids present in the extracts. These results clearly indicate that Ocimum canum can be effectively used against free radical mediated diseases.

Key words: Ocimum canum , phytochemical constituents, traditional uses and pharmacological properties, antioxidant activity