Evaluation of Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Selected Medicinal Plant Extracts
Keywords:
Medicinal plants, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, phytochemical screening, and bioactive compoundsAbstract
Medicinal plants are rich sources of bioactive compounds that exhibit significant therapeutic potential, particularly in managing oxidative stress and inflammatory disorders. The present study focuses on the evaluation of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of selected medicinal plant extracts prepared using suitable solvent extraction techniques. The phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed the presence of major secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, phenols, tannins, and alkaloids, which are known to contribute to biological activity. Antioxidant potential was assessed using standard in vitro assays such as DPPH radical scavenging activity, ABTS assay, and reducing power assay, while anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using protein denaturation and membrane stabilization methods. The results indicated that the plant extracts exhibited strong dose-dependent antioxidant activity by effectively neutralizing free radicals and inhibiting oxidative chain reactions. Similarly, significant anti-inflammatory effects were observed, suggesting the ability of the extracts to stabilize biological membranes and inhibit inflammatory mediators. Among the tested samples, certain extracts showed higher activity comparable to standard drugs, indicating their potential as natural therapeutic agents. The study concludes that selected medicinal plant extracts possess promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may serve as a basis for developing safe, plant-based pharmaceutical formulations for the management of oxidative stress-related and inflammatory diseases.
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