Investigation of anti oxidant activity of Fluggea leucopyrus

Abstract

This work presents the investigation of anti-oxidant activity of Fluggea leucopyrus to validate its anti-cancer potential as F. leucopyrus has been found as a good healer for cancer by traditional practitioners in Sri Lanka. The aqueous extracts of leaves and bark of F. leucopyrus was subjected to anti-oxidant assay. It was the DPPH radical scavenging assay. In this method, the ability of the scavenging of DPPH radicals by different concentrations of plant extracts of leaves and bark was measured. Ascorbic acid and BHA were used as standard antioxidants in this assay. The IC50 values for leaves and bark were calculated. IC50 values for DPPH radical scavenging assay were determined as 54 ppm for leaves, 76 ppm for bark, 37 ppm for ascorbic acid and 82 ppm for BHA. When comparing the IC50 values of leaves and bark with the IC50 values of standard antioxidants, F. leucopyrus possesses high anti oxidant ability. This gives the assurance for F. leucopyrus to act as potential cancer healer. Further to this, the leaves and the bark extracts of F. leucopyrus were investigated for phytochemicals using phytochemical screening methods reported in literature. It was found that the plant contains huge amounts of phytochemicals which are alkaloids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, flavanoids, leucoanthocyanin, tannins and polyphenols. These phytochemicals must be responsible for the anti-oxidant potentials of the plant, F. leucopyrus.