Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, Syed Abrar Ahmed, M. A. Waheed1 and Sayyed Juned A
Antioxidant plays an important role in inhibiting and scavenging free radicals, thus, providing protection to human against infection and degenerative diseases. Now the modern research is directed towards “Natural antioxidants” from the herbal plants due to safe therapeutic. In the present paper we have investigated Antioxidant activity of extracts from Withania somnifera Dunal. for its free radical scavenging activity by adopting various in vitro methods. The extracts were investigated for the antioxidant activity using 2, 2 - diphenyl, 1- picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, reducing capacity, competition with DMSO, Hydroxyl group reducing activity, estimation of total phenol and estimation of Ascorbic acid. The polar flavonoid extracted was found to have highest % of DPPH (83.07%) scavenging activity. The measurement of total phenolics by folin - ciocalteau reagent indicated that 20 mg of powdered Withania somnifera contain 0.115 g of phenols equivalent of catechol.
