In vitro antioxidant activity and polyphenol estimation of methanolic fruit extract of Carissa spinarum L.

Antioxidant property of methanolic fruit extract of the medicinal tree species, Carissa spinarum was evaluated by studying the contents of total phenolics, tannins and flavonoids, free radical scavenging activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2- picryl hydrozyl (DPPH), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing power activity, ABTS•+ assay and metal chelating activity. The results of the study revealed that both the parts studied were found to have potent antioxidant activity against DPPH, hydroxyl and ABTS•+ radicals with the IC50 value of 88.98 for methanolic fruit extract for DPPH radicals and 849.70 for hydroxyl radicals. Therefore methanolic fruit extract of C. spinarum can be considered as a new potential source of natural antioxidants for pharmaceutical industries.