In Vitro Evaluation of Antioxidant Potential of Ayurvedic Preparations Lauha Bhasma and Mandura Bhasma

The changing environmental conditions and food habits have evoked a great deal of attention toward the study of free radicals. Free radicals are introduced in our body by various endogenous systems, exposure to different physiochemical conditions or some pathological states. Free radicals are exposure to body leads to condition called oxidative stress. When body is unable to manage increased oxidative stress, we need to supply a source of antioxidant to the body. An antioxidant can be broadly defined as a substance inhibits oxidative damage to a target molecule mainly caused by free radicals. Antioxidants are very important in treating many disorders or are used as supportive treatment for various disorders which are caused or aggravated by oxidative stress. Lauha bhasma and Mandura bhasma are well known ayurvedic preparations traditionally used as a haematinic for treating various disorder specially blood disorders. Antioxidants and antioxidant potential are very important in treating many blood disorders and are very supportive in the haematinic action. The present study evaluates the antioxidant potential of Lauha bhasma and Mandura bhasma. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH scavenging activity and Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, Ascorbic acid was used as standard antioxidant agent for comparative evaluation. The results show that both the bhasma have significant antioxidant activity i.e. more than 80% of that of standard ascorbic acid. Mandura bhasm being having comparatively more antioxidant potential than Lauha bhasma.