Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity of some Sudanese Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Many species of plants have been shown effective antioxidant activities. This study is carried out to investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of six Sudanese medicinal plants commonly used as anti-inflammatory. Azadiracta indica leaves, Ziziphus spina-christi leaves, Matricaria chmomilla flower, Ricinus communis leaves, Acacia arabica leaves and Trigonella foenum seeds were extracted with methanol 80% and screened for their free radical scavenging properties using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and iron metal chelating. MTT colorimetric assay was used against vero cell line for evaluation of cytotoxicity. None of the extracts revealed cytotoxic activity against vero cell line. The results obtained support the ethnobotanical uses of the above plants as anti-inflammatory.