Antioxidative Characteristics of Ethanol and Aqueous Extracts of Curcuma amada rhizomes

The plants belonging to Zingiberaceae family are found to be a rich source of substances of phytochemical interest. Curcuma amada is one member of this family which is traditionally used as carminative and stomachic. The antioxidant activity of ethanol and aqueous extract of Curcuma amada rhizomes was studied. The antioxidant activity in vitro was measured by means of the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Nitric Oxide and Super oxide free radical scavenging assay. Ascorbic acid, a natural antioxidant, was used as a control. The extracts of ethanol and aqueous were strongly scavenged DPPH radical with the IC50 being 265.33 and 217.90 μg/ml respectively. While the extracts of ethanol and aqueous were moderately scavenged superoxide radical with the IC50 values of 526.87 and 440.89 μg/ml and moderately inhibited nitric oxide with the IC50 values of 386 and 510.67 μg/ml. All the parameters were found to dose dependent.