In Vitro Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Different Extracts of Boerhavia diffusa and Boswellia serrata

The antioxidant activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Boerhavia diffusa (leaves) and Boswellia serrata (bark) was evaluated by using DPPH method, NO scavenging method, reducing ability method and total polyphenols content by Folin Ciocalteu method. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that the extract of the leaves of Boerhavia diffusa possesses alkaloids, carbohydrates, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and tannins in the order of ethanol > aqueous extract and the extracts of Boswellia serrata indicated the presence of various chemical compounds like alkaloids, carbohydrates, terpenoids, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and tannins except saponins. The extracts of both plants showed significant activities in all antioxidant assays compared to the standard antioxidant in a dose dependent manner and remarkable activities to scavenge reactive oxygen species may be attributed to the high amount of hydrophilic phenolics. The IC50 values indicated that the extract of Boswellia serrata has more scavenging activity than extract ofBoerhavia diffusa.