In vitro antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of Ageratum conyzoides and Ageratina adenophora leaves

摘要

Characterization of natural products based on the antioxidant activity gains tremendous interest in the past decade. In the current work, the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract of Ageratina adenophora and Ageratum conyzoides leaves were determined. Both plants belong to the family Asteraceae and are invasive species in many tropical and subtropical countries, including northeastern India, China, Sri lanka, Nigeria. A. conyzoides is an annual herbaceous plant having a number of bioactive compounds. A. conyzoides is typically found in cultivated fields and other disturbed ecosystems; and is known for its medicinal use in the treatment of burns and wounds, arthritis, asthma, dermatitis, leprosy, malaria, and as an insecticide. Notable compounds include toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, phenolic acids, cumarin and polymethoxyflavones. In this study, antioxidant activity of the plant leaves was characterized for DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy) and hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity. Antioxidant activity determines the potential of a compound to scavenge a free radical generated during oxidative stress in the body. The result suggests that A. adenophora and A. conyzoides leaves extracts showed potential antioxidant activity in terms of both DPPH and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity.