Comparative antioxidant evaluation of three indian cardio-protective medicinal plants in vitro studies

A number of Indian medicinal plants have been used for thousands of years in the management of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension. Oxidative damage remains as the important factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases. A comparative antioxidant evaluation of three cardio-protective plants pays the better way to fix the proportion of individual plants in the development of new formulation. With this aim, the antioxidant activity of three medicinal plants is evaluated in the in-vitro condition. 70% ethanolic extract of Nelumbo nucifera (NN), Withania somnifera (WS) and Terminalia arjuna (TA) were tested for their antioxidant activity and IC50 values were determined. To confirm the potent antioxidant plant their phenol, tannin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and carbohydrate content were also estimated. HPTLC profile ofall the three extracts were also taken. The results from the ABTS and nitric oxide radical scavenging assay showed that IC50 value of all the three extracts were similar. Whereas in antilipid peroxidation assay NN has lower IC50 value than other two extracts. Tannin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and carbohydrate content of TA was found to be high. In NN, Total phenolic content was found to be high. In conclusion, NN is more potent in exhibiting antioxidant activity than the other two extracts.Whereas free radical scavenging activity is exhibited by all the three extracts equally. Along with NN, TA is more potent in phytoconstituents content. Thus increasing the content of NN or TA in the formulation can increase the potency in cardiovascular disorder.