Phytochemical Constituents and Antioxidant Properties of Methanolic Leaf Extract of Punica Granatum L. (Published)
Phytochemical constituent and antioxidant properties of the methanolic leaf extract of Punica granatum was investigated. Extracts of the leaf was subjected to quantitative and qualitative phytochemical screening, In vivo and In vitro scavenging activity against 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were determined. The free radical scavenging activity of DPPH and H2O2 have SC50 of 1.069±0.29µmol/ml and 1.819±0.29µmol/ml respectively. DPPH actitvity of these extract shows no significant difference when compared with a standard value of Vitamin C is 1.140±0.26µmol/ml whereas H2O2 shows significant difference as compared to standared Vitamin C with SC50 value of 1.331±0.31µmol/ml. The administration of the extract at 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg body weights of wistar albino rats significantly increased the levels of catalase 39.02±0.72nmol/mg and 39.55±0.62nmol/mg respectively with a negative control of 7.53±1.94nmol/mg as compared to the normal control value of 37.76±0.63nmol/mg whereas lipid peroxidation level decreased significantly at treatment groups 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg with value of 4.96±0.20(nmol/mg)/10-6 and 4.35±0.17(nmol/mg)/10-6 respectively when compared to the negative control group with a value of 8.21±0.15(nmol/mg)/10-6 and normal control value of 4.36±1.67(nmol/mg)/10-6, although there is no significant difference as compared to the normal control groups. These findings suggest possible antioxidant properties of the methanolic leaf extract of Pomegranate
Keywords: Antioxidant activity, CCL4, DPPH, Oxidative stress, Punica Granatum, free radicals scavenging activity