Antioxidant Activity of Coleus Blumei, Orthosiphon Stamineus, Ocimum basilicum and Mentha arvensis from Lamiaceae Family

Abstract

A groups of Lamiaceae plants namely Coleus blumei, Orthosiphon stamineus, Ocimum basilicum and Mentha arvensis were collected from Penang, Malaysia were screened for their in vitro antioxidant activity. Stems and leaves of selected plants were dried at 45 °C and powdered. Then, extraction was performed with methanol. By employing DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical) scavenging assays, it was shown that all the methanol extracts of the samples collected were endowed with antioxidant activity,though, as expected, their potency varied according to the different parts and species. In particular, leaves and stems of Ocimum basilicum displayed the highest activity. The IC50 value of the extracts tested were ranged from 0.181 mg/mL - 2.85 mg/mL. It is generally accepted that a diet rich in plants is associated with a reduced incidence of degenerative diseases, such as atherosclerosis and cancer. This study suggests that the Lamiaceae plants could be pharmaceutically exploited for antioxidant properties.