Author(s): N. C. Baruah, S. Das, S. K. Yadav

Abstract: Argyreia roxburghii Choisy is a plant of Convolvulaceae family. The local healers traditionally use the root extract of Argyreia roxburghii Choisy especially in epilepsy and in senselessness, because of which the plant was selected for investigation. It has also been used as anti-spasmodic by the village practitioners. The preliminary phytochemical screening of the plant revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, reducing sugars, phenols, glycosides and flavonoid. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extract ofArgyreia roxburghii Choisy was (MEAR) evaluated by using a range of in-vitro assays. The IC50 values were found to be 2.29, 3.91, 6.11 µg/ml in DPPH radical scavenging, nitric oxide scavenging and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. The free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities may be attributed to the presence of phenolic (13.38 µg/ml Gallic acid equivalent) and flavonoid (1.02 µg/ml quercetin equivalent) components. The result obtained in the present study indicates that the Argyreia roxburghii Choisy root is a potential source of natural antioxidant.