45 Original article Thin-layer chromatography and in vitro free radical scavenging activity of few medicinal plants from the surroundings of Junagadh, Gujarat, India Punit R. Bhatt, Urvesh D. Patel  , Chirag M. Modi, Kajal B. Pandya and Harshad B. Patel Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh- 362001, Gujarat, India Received March 5, 2019: Revised April 25, 2019: Accepted April 27, 2019: Published online June 30, 2019 Abstract A collection of medicinal plants was done from the ambience of Junagadh district, Gujarat, India. These plants were subsequently screened to know their phytochemical potential. The in vitro antioxidant activity was also evaluated using DPPH and nitric oxide scavenging methods. Qualitative phytochemical screening and total phenolic content have been evaluated for each plant extract. TLC showed the presence of various phytochemicals like alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, glycosides, saponins, sterols and tannins. Methanol and water extracts of plants exhibited the highest amount of phenolic content. There was a difference in per cent inhibition of DPPH and nitric oxide scavenging activity showed by extracts. In the case of DPPH scavenging activity, water extracts of Peltophorum pterocarpum (DC.) K. Heyne leaves and Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels leaves showed the highest free radical inhibition up to 76.37 ± 0.42% and 67.49 ± 0.51%, respectively. In the case of nitric oxide scavenging action, all the extracts of Bauhinia variegata L. bark and P. pterocarpum leaves showed nitric oxide inhibition more than 75%. The plants like B. variegata, P. pterocarpum and S. cumini revealed high level of phenolic compounds. In conclusion, extracts of B. variegata , P. pterocarpum and S. cumini leaves can be served as the vital source of phenoilcs and flavonoids for having antioxidant potential. Keywords: Antioxidant, DPPH, in vitro study, medicinal plants, nitric oxide, TLC 1. Introduction Antioxidant compounds play a vital role as a health protecting factor. The primary source of these antioxidant compounds are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The main role of antioxidant is to catalyze the simple redox reactions which occur in various biochemical processes by saturating lone-pair from free radicals, also called reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROSs are highly reactive and able to initiate many degenerative diseases such as coronary heart disease, inflammation, stroke, diabetes mellitus and cancer. Antioxidant compounds which mainly include polyphenols, phenolic acids, etc., are commonly found in the plants (Brown and Rice-Evans, 1998; Scalbert et al., 2005). Human and other organisms of our body have an antioxidant defence system in the form of enzyme, metal chelating or free radical scavenging activities to prevent or reduce the ROS inducing oxidative damage. In addition, dietary antioxidants help to maintain the antioxidant status in the body. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals by accepting or donating electron (s) to eliminate the lone pair of the radical. The antioxidant molecules are directly reacting Author for correspondence: Dr. U.D. Patel Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh-362001. Gujarat, India E-mail: urvesh1981@yahoo.com Tel.: +91-9725003818 Copyright © 2019 Ukaaz Publications. All rights reserved. Email: ukaaz@yahoo.com; Website: www.ukaazpublications.com Annals of Phytomedicine 8(1): 45-55, 2019 Annals of Phytomedicine: An International Journal http://www.ukaazpublications.com/publications/index.php Print ISSN : 2278-9839 Online ISSN : 2393-9885 DOI: 10.21276/ap.2019.8.1.5 with reactive radical to destroy them and become new free radical itself, which are less reactive, less dangerous than the previous radical and longer-lived. Again, these radicals are neutralized by other free radical by a same or different mechanism and these reactions keep on going (Lü Jian-Ming et al., 2010). Although, synthetic antioxidants are available, their role has been criticized. Antioxidants obtained from natural sources, mainly from medicinal plants are very good agents. In the last few decades, the focus on natural antioxidant compounds has increased (Jayaprakash and Rao, 2000). Medicinal plants serve as a readymade source of the antioxidant compounds which are not harmful, economical and easily available. In India, it is estimated that 17,000 plant species exist and among these, 2000 species of medicinal plants are used by several ethnic communities in India for their medicinal properties (Mahendra et al., 2016). Drugs of herbal origin provide a rational means for the treatment of several ailments in human and animals (Rajeshwari et al., 2013; Manoharachary and Nagaraju, 2016; Nayanabhirama, 2016). A number of medicinal herbs are established antioxidants such as ginseng, curcuma, ginkgo, rosemary, green tea, grape, ginger and garlic, etc. They contain a wide variety of antioxidant compounds which include phenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, steroids and thiols (Lü Jian-Ming et al., 2010). Potential role of herbal plants or phytomedicine in the area of oxidative stress has also been studied through in vitro or in vivo studies (Bhadarka et al., 2018; Shaul et al., 2018; Modi et al., 2018). There are many medicinal plants in and around Junagadh, Gujarat, India which may have an antioxidant potential. The present study