Evaluation of anti-oxidant activity of Elettaria cardamomum and Ferula assa-foetida leaves with special emphasis on Phytochemicals and HPLC fingerprinting

In present study the methanolic extracts were evaluated for phytochemical composition, total Phenolic content, flavonoid content, antioxidant potential by Total antioxidant assay, and Reducing activity assay. Methanolic extracts of two traditionally used Indian medicinal plants namely Elettaria cardamomum and Ferula assa-foetida were selected for the study. Phytochemical analysis of plant extracts indicated the presence of major phyto constituents, including phenolics, alkaloids, flavonoids, and saponin. Total phenolic content (1.71 mg/ml and 1.40 mg/ml expressed as gallic acid equivalents) was observed in Elettaria cardamomum and Ferula assa-foetida repectively. Antioxidant activity was measured by Phosphomolybdenum method. The methanoic extract of E. Cardamomum and F. Assa-foetida showed total antioxidant capacity and it was 25.60 mg/ml and 18.43 mg/ml respectively calculated as Ascorbic acid equivalents. Both the extracts exhibited the higher Reducing activity. The higher scavenging activity was observed in Ferula assa-foetida (82.55%) as compared with Elettaria cardamomum (54.0%). The results of one-dimensional TLC analyses show that different phenolic compounds, flavonoids and phenolic acids, are present in the investigated extracts. A largest number of flavonoids (rutin, quercetin and some unidetified flavonoid-glycosides) and phenolic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, coumaric and vanillic acid) was found in methanol extract. The extracts contain Rutin, some unidentified flavonoid-glycosides, coumaric, caffeic and chlorogenic acid. HPLC analysis showed that the extracts of E. Cardamomum and F. Assa-foetida leaves contain various secondary metabolites. The standards used for analysis were tannic acid, vanillin and cathechol. The tested plant extracts showed promising antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity, thus justifying their traditional use.