Evaluation of in vitro antioxidant activity of a few wild cucurbitaceae plants against cancer

Abstract

The methanolic extract of whole plant of Diplocyclos palmatus, roots of Corallocarpus epigaeus and fruits of Lagenaria siceraria were evaluated for their antioxidant efficacy by DPPH radical scavenging assay. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and many of the free radicals are natural by-products of metabolism of drugs, environmental chemicals and other Xenobiotics as well as endogenous chemicals, especially stress hormones like adrenalin and noradrenalin. ROS has a high reactive potential and is responsible for many of the human diseases like diabetes, cancer, viral infections, cardiovascular diseases and inflammations and is known to cause oxidative damage to DNA, proteins and lipids in humans. Antioxidants nowadays are increasingly sought as components of the diet owing to their benefits upon human health through protection of cells against oxidative stress which might otherwise lead to cell damage and death. The antioxidants present in the medicinal plants quench the free radicals by donating a hydrogen atom. The antioxidant activity of the medicinal plants namely, Diplocyclos palmatus, Corallocarpus epigaeus and Lagenaria siceraria were estimated by using 2, 2�Diphenly 1-Picryl Hydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The present study aims at evaluating therapeutic potential of these medicinal plants due to their high free radical scavenging activity