Objective: The present study was aimed at establishing the antioxidant, free radical scavenging, anti-lipid peroxidative and antimicrobial properties of the plant Pyrrosia heterophylla (L.) M. G. PRICE.Methods: Standard protocols were used to estimate the antioxidant potential of the hexane, ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts of the plant. Radical scavenging ability of the extracts was assayed for 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonicacid) (ABTS), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) and hydroxyl radicals. Total antioxidant activity assay was done following the phospho- molybdenum method. The reductive potential was measured by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. Lipid peroxidation assay was done in vitro. Total phenolic content was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Antimicrobial activity was identified by well diffusion method, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by serial dilution method.Results: Results revealed that the ethyl acetate extract (PHE) exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity followed by the methanolic extract (PHM) whereas the hexane extract (PHH) had the lowest activity. The percentage radical scavenging by PHE was found to be 86.63±0.85, 89.48±2.08 and 70.89±1.46 for DPPH, ABTS and hydroxyl radicals respectively, at a concentration of 800μg/ml. The total antioxidant activity of PHE, PHM and PHH was found to be 538.33±3.51, 283.33±7.57and 13.76±3.95 ascorbic acid equivalents/g of extract respectively. Phenolic content of PHE was the highest (207.22±1.95 gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g of extract), followed by PHM and PHH (197.92±2.00 and 37.50±2.18 GAE/g respectively). Total reducing power was also found to be the highest in PHE followed by PHM and PHH as per the FRAP assay. All the extracts were found to possess inhibitory activity against the tested microorganisms. MIC50 value of all the extracts was below 40 µg/ml.Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed the antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-lipid peroxidation potentials of the plant P. heterophylla (L.) M. G. PRICE
