Antioxidant properties of Ximenia americana

Abstract

Ximenia americana, a medicinal plant, was evaluated for free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity. The extracts from the stem bark was obtained using methanol. The methanol portion was again fractionated into flavonoid and saponnin portions. The antioxidant activity of the portions was assessed by the 2, 2 diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The flavonoid portion revealed a significant (P < 0.05) antioxidant activity with the Rc₅₀ value of 8. The study reveals that X. americana could be used as a potential antioxidant.

Key words: Ximenia americana, flavonoid, antioxidant activity.