In- vitro Evaluation of Free-radical Scavenging Potential of Pakhenbed Leaves [Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb.]

Abstract

Pakhenbed [Bergenia ciliata (Haw.) Sternb., Saxifragaceae] leaves were successively extracted with hexane (H), benzene
(B), chloroform(C), diethyl ether (D), ethyl acetate (EA), acetone (A), ethanol (E), methanol (M) and double distilled water (W)
respectively using silica gel column chromatography. The antioxidant activity of purified extracts was determined by measuring
the scavenging effect on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, lipid peroxidation and superoxide anion generation. The
fractions with significant free radical scavenging activity were further evaluated through TLC for determining the specific Rf
valueof bioactive components. Ethyl acetate fraction was found ( 99.30% inhibition) to be the best scavenger of DPPH radical at a
dose of 100 µg/ml among 33 extracts which was comparable with two standards, Quercetin and Ascorbic Acid (44.67 and 47.78%
inhibition respectively). NBT-NADH-PMS based highest super oxide scavenging activity (48.91% inhibition) was observed in
ethyl acetate:acetone :: 1:3 fraction, which was also comparable with the Quercetin standard (72.67 % ). Optimum anti-lipid
peroxidation was 44.30% in ethyl acetate:acetone :: 3:1 and minimum 0.36% was observed in methanol fraction in water (1:3).
The observations from this study suggest the ethno medicinal use of Pakhenbed which could be commercially exploited by the
pharmaceutical industry for natural antioxidant.