STUDIES ON THE ANTIOXIDATIVE AND FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITIES OF MYROBALAN (TERMINALIA CHEBULA RETZ) THROUGH VARIOUS IN VITRO MODELS

Summary Terminalia chebula Retz. (Combretaceae), a native plant in India and traditionally been used to treat various ailments in Asia. To understand the mechanisms of pharmacological actions, the in vitro antioxidant activity of aqueous extract of T. chebula was investigated for activities of scavenging superoxide anion radicals, hydroxyl radicals, nitric oxide radicals, and hydrogen peroxide, metal chelation and reducing power. The extract was also studied for lipid peroxidation assay using young and aged rat brain mitochondria. The total phenolic content was assayed as gallic acid equivalents. In all the testing, a significant correlation existed between concentrations of the extract and percentage inhibition of free radicals, metal chelation, reducing power or inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The antioxidant property may be related to the antioxidant vitamins, phenolic acids, tannins and micronutrients present in the extract. These results indicate that the antioxidant potential of T. chebula and is effective in degenerative diseases.