In vitro Antioxidant Activities and Phytochemical Analysis of Methanol Extracts of Leaves and Stems of Lumnitzera racemosa

Aim: To study antiradical and the reducing power activities in the leaves and stems methanol extracts of Lumnitzera racemosa mangrove species.

Design: Soxhlet extraction of leaves and stems using methanol for in vitro antioxidant assay.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari Campus, Santacruz (East), Mumbai, India, April, 2014 to December, 2014

Methodology: The plant branches were collected in the month of May, identified by an expert taxonomist. The leaves and stems were separated, washed, shed dried, powdered and Soxhlet methanol extracts were prepared to study antioxidant properties using DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) Scavenging and Reducing power assay.

Results: Both DPPH test and reducing power assay showed better antioxidant activity in leaves than stems. The scavenging activity in the leaves was (23.31 μg/mL) while in stems (111.5 μg/mL) as compared to ascorbic acid (14.98 μg/mL)

Conclusion: Overall L. racemosa has shown antioxidant properties in which leaves were more potent than stems.