Antioxidant and Antihypercholesterolemic Potential of Crude Aqueous Leaf Extract of Annona muricata: An in vitro Study
Author(s): P Harini, R Gayathri* and V Vishnu Priya
Abstract
Herbs are always considered to be a natural source of antioxidant. Herbal extract and natural products are a part of folkloric medicine to cure various ailments for centuries together. One such herb which is a part of ancient medicine is Annona Muricata (A. muricata). It is a tropical plant species belonging to the family Annonaceae and known for its many medicinal uses. This study was conducted to assess the antioxidant and antihypercholesterolemic potential of aqueous leaf extract of Annona muricata. The plant Annona muricata was purchased in a nursery in Chennai. The plant was allowed to grow for a few days and the leaves were collected for study. The leaves were washed and crushed in mortar and pestle with water to prepare an extract. DPPH assay and NO radical scavenging assay were done to measure the in vitro antioxidant potential of the extract. Antihypercholesterolemic potential was also analysed. From the present study, it was observed that the aqueous leaf extract of Annona muricata possess a good level of antioxidant (78% inhibition at 500 μg/ml) and antihypercholesterolemic activity (60% inhibition at 500 μg/ml). Thus the extract can scavenge the free radical accumulation and prevent early onset of cardiovascular related disorders.