Original Articles
Nighat Zia ud Den and Muhammad
Abstract
Medicinal plants have long enjoyed their reputation as healing agents. In the current study lappa Mentha longifolia, Angilica glauca, Artemisia meritima, Cerdus deodara, Thymus serypelleum and Sassura was selected medicinal plants for extraction of essential oils by hydrodistillation method. The ability of scavenging free radicals of the oil extracts of above medicinal plants was determined by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), reducing power, as well as total phenolic contents (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) was also determined. The results showed that the oil extract of Artemisia meritimia, Thymus serypellum and Mentha longifolia had significant antioxidant activity. Thus, the study suggests that Artemisia meritimia, Thymus serypellum and Mentha longifolia has a better source of natural antioxidants, which might be helpful in preventing the progress of oxidative stress.