Abstract:
Background: Antidiabetic drugs possess antioxidant properties that help to manage diabetic
complications associated with oxidative stress. Athiyathi Kashayam (AK) is a polyherbal
formulation consisting of Ficus racemosa, Syzygium cumini, Salacia reticulata, Cassia auriculata,
and Cassia fistula. According to Siddha literature, it is utilized in the treatment of diabetes
mellitus (DM). There has been a study reported on the antioxidant potential of Kashayam in India.
However, there has been no investigation done on methanol extract of the herbs used in AK.
Objective: To evaluate antioxidant activity of methanol extract of medicinal herbals used in
Athiyathi Kashayam using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and ferric reduction assay
Methods: The fresh barks of F. racemosa, S. cumini, C. auriculata, C. fistula were collected from
Kegalle District and S. reticulata was collected from Mullaithivu District. They were shade dried
and powdered into fine powder. The crude drug was prepared according to the specified ratio,
with equal amount of F. racemosa, S. cumini and S. reticulate and double amount of C. auriculata
and C. fistula. The methanol extract of polyherbal formulation was prepared by the maceration
process. The in-vitro anti-oxidant activity of polyherbal extract was evaluated through DPPH
assay and ferric reduction assay using ascorbic acid as the standard.
Results: The IC50 value of methanol extracts of AK was found to be 18.78 μg/mL, whereas in
ascorbic acid it was 11.92 μg/mL. The ascorbic acid equivalents in ferric reduction assay for the
formulation was 76.48 μg/mL, AAE/g at 200 μg/mL concentration.
Conclusions: This study indicated that, methanolic extract of the polyherbal AK was found to
exhibit strong antioxidant activity. Further studies are needed to understand the in-vivo antioxidant
potential of the polyherbal formulation
