Antioxidant activity of Senecio Amplexicaulis Kunth. extracts

The present study was performed to evaluate antioxidant potential of Senecio amplexicaulis Kunth. extracts. The air dried powdered plant material was extracted with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol and concentrated using rotary evaporator. The extracts were evaluated for total phenolic content presence, total antioxidant capacity, reducing power, ability to scavenge various free radicals and ferrous ion chelation. Phytochemical investigation indicated the presence of significant amount of phenolic contents in the polar extracts of S. amplexicaulis. The phenolic content was maximum in ethyl acetate extract and lowest in the petroleum ether extract. The polar extracts were further evaluated for antioxidant potential. Ethyl acetate extract demonstrated higher total antioxidant capacity than methanolic extract. The polar extracts (100-600μg/ml) exhibited fair reducing power as indicated by high absorbance values in the reducing power assay. The polar extracts exhibited moderate free radical scavenging and ferrous ion chelating activities. The antioxidant potential of extracts was low when compared to standard antioxidants like ascorbic acid and rutin. However, since the extracts are crude and the activity can be result of synergism or antagonism of the phytoconstituents present, the results are encouraging and points to a need for phytochemical analysis of the extracts.