Activity guided separation of phytoconstituents from the flowers of Ichnocarpus frutescens L. and evaluation for antioxidant property.

For achieving and maintaining vibrant health tackling free radicals is very important. Each human cell receives a tremendous number of assaults per day from free radicals. Free radicals are those militant molecules that attack our cells. Therefore, the preventative measure is to combat these free radicals before they do damage. They have only one purpose and that is to invade and destroy healthy cells making the body vulnerable to disease which has negative impact on our health. Free radicals disrupt the biochemical processes within cells, and our body’s natural defense simply can not keep up with the on slaught and so we become ill. Scavenging of free radical seems to play a considerable part in the antioxidant activity of flavonoidal compounds. In very recent year’s flavonoids as potent radical scavengers have attracted a tremendous interest as possible therapeutic against free radical mediated diseases. Literature survey revealed that various parts of Ichnocarpus frutescens L.are known for its flavonoidal content hence the various extracts, fractions and isolated flavonoids of the flowers of Ichnocarpus frutescens L. were screened for the antioxidant property. Various extracts and fractions were prepared by using solvents of different polarity, flavonoids were isolated and antioxidant activity was studied by using DPPH assay and by measuring the scavenging capacity of the hydroxyl radicals (degradation of 2-deoxyribose with hydroxyl radicals). In the studied models, amongst the various extracts, fractions and isolated flavonoids the isolated pure flavonoid separated from ethyl acetate fraction of alcoholic extract showed the remarkable and concentration dependent antioxidant activity than the other extracts and fractions. The IC50 values were calculated. The results were comparable with standard ascorbic acid. Hence we conclude that isolated pure flavonoid-I (F-I) separated from ethyl acetate fraction of alcoholic extract of flowers of Ichnocarpus frutescens L is more bioactive than other fractions and extract