<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;letter-spacing:-.1pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-GB">FRAP (Ferric reducing ability of plasma) assay and effect of <i>Diplazium esculentum</i> (Retz) Sw. (a green vegetable of North India) on central nervous system</span>

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">The FRAP assay (Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma), a simple test to determine the total antioxidant power; has been chosen to assess the free radical scavenging effects of <i>Diplazium esculentum</i> (Retz) Sw. FRAP assay depends upon the ferric tripyridyltriazine [Fe (III)-TPTZ] complex to the ferrous tripyridyltriazine [Fe (II)-TPTZ] by a reductant at low pH. Fe (II)-TPTZ has an intensive blue color and can be monitored at 593 nm. Antioxidant activity of petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, methanol and aqueous extracts was evaluated. <i>D. esculentum</i> is a well known green leafy vegetable of North Indian food, therefore, stimulant effect of its aqueous extract on central nervous system (CNS) was also determined on mice using the actophotometer. Results suggested that water extract (7.6 mM/dry wt) possesses highest antioxidant activity. CNS stimulant effect of the extract at all doses level is much higher when compared to the control and standard caffeine (a known stimulant). Stimulant effect was significant (P<0.0001 at all doses tested) and this was also found to be dose dependent. Thus it can be concluded that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">D. esculentum</i> is very rich to scavenge the free radicals and stimulate the CNS system as compared to the standard.</span>