Phytochemical Screening and In Vitro Antioxidant Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Cassia occidentalis

The ethanolic extract of the leaves of Cassia occidentalis (Co) were subjected to phytochemical analysis by standard qualitative analysis and the invitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by determination of total antioxidant capacity, 1.1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) radical scavenging activity, superoxide scavenging activity and Ferric reducing anti oxidant potential (FRAP). The analyses revealed that the ethanolic extract of Co was able to efficiently scavenge the free radicals in a dose dependant manner. The results were compared with the standard antioxidant ascorbic acid. The results have shown that crude ethanolic extract of the leaves of Co showed excellent antioxidant activity due to the presence of bioactive compounds namely alkaloids, betacyanin, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, anthraquinones and emodins.