Variation in Antioxidant Activity of a Rattan Species, Plectocomia himalayana Griff. by DPPH assay based on two different methods of Methanol Extraction.

Antioxidant plays an important role in inhibiting and scavenging free radicals, which provides protection to human against infection and degenerative diseases. At present research is directed towards “natural antioxidants” from the plants due to safe therapeutic. Therefore, in the present paper we have investigated antioxidant activity by DPPH method from the shoot extracts of Plectocomia himalayana. The solvent extracts of its shoots were found to have free radical scavenging activity by DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) assay. Hot methanol and cold methanol extracts of the dried powder of the shoots of Plectocomia himalayana were used as sample for antioxidant profiling which was compared with two standards namely BHT (Butylated Hydroxyl Toluene) and Ascorbic acid. Studies suggested that the percentage inhibition at 100 μg/μl which was the lowest concentration was higher in cold extract and that of 800 μg/μl was slightly higher in case of hot extract. In general, shoot extracts of Plectocomia himalayana showed a relatively good free radical scavenging activity even when compared to BHT and ascorbic acid. Furthermore, the IC50 value, the half maximal inhibitory concentration, for cold methanol extract and hot methanol extract of the shoots of Plectocomia himalayana was found to be 117.73 (μg/μl) and 163.16 (μg/μl) respectively.