ASSESSMENT OF FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY OF TEN MADHURASKANDHA DRUGS THROUGH UV SPECTROSCOPIC AND CHROMATOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE

Objective: Acharya Charaka had classified Asthapana bastidravya (corrective enema) based on Rasa (Taste), called as Rasaskandha (a group of drugs having similar taste). He ascertained some criteria to include drugs in the group such as drug having either similar Rasa (taste) or Vipaka (biotransformation) or Prabhava (principle responsible for a specific action). The study was planned to endorse the grouping of Madhuraskandha based upon Rasayana karma (rejuvenation) vis a vis antioxidant activity as well as to evaluate the natural source of antioxidants.Methods: The study was planned to assess the free radical scavenging activities often drugs by adopting DPPH [2, 2-di-(4-tert-octylphenol)-1-picrylhydrazyl], H2O2 (Hydrogen peroxide) and superoxide scavenging activity and FRAP (Ferric reducing antioxidant power) assay with UV spectroscopy. Further, methanolic extract often drugs was subjected to thin layer chromatography followed by DPPH technique.Results: The aqueous extracts of Abutilon indicum, Solanum xanthocarpum, Tribulus terrestris, Boerhavia diffusa, Group A and Group C had shown potent antioxidant activity in concentration-dependent manner by illustrated methods. DPPH-TLC (thin layer chromatography) assay showed that maximum active compounds were found in methanolic extracts of Asparagus racemosus and Tinospora cordifolia.Conclusion: The result revealed that the drugs included in the Madhuraskandha have similar attributes of Rasayana Karma or possess antioxidant activity. The combination of ten drugs can be a good source of natural antioxidants.Keywords: Madhuraskandha drugs, Free radical scavenging activity, Spectroscopy, Chromatograph