Chetna R. Kothari
Research Scholar, Department of Pharmacy, Sunrise University, Alwar, Rajasthan
Shirish P. Jain
Research Supervisor, Department of Pharmacy, Sunrise University, Alwar, Rajasthan
Abstract
Many research studies have proposed that about two-thirds of the medicinal plant species of the world possess significant antioxidant potential. Antioxidants are very beneficial as they decrease oxidative stress (OS) in cells and hence play theirrole in management as well as treatment of numerous diseases like cancers, cardiovascular diseases, as well as manyinflammatory illnesses. This review comprises the antioxi- dant potential of numerous parts of medicinal plants like leaves,stems, roots, seeds, fruits, as well as bark. Synthetic antioxidants named butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as well as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are extensively employed in foods because of their role as food preservatives. Severalnatural antioxidants have better efficacy as compared to synthetic antioxidants. These medicinal plants include Gera- nium sanguineum L., Rheum ribes L., Diospyros abyssinica, Sargentodoxa cuneata Rehd. Et Wils, Pistacia lentiscus, Ficus microcarpa L. fil., Polyalthia cerasoides (Roxb.) Bedd, Cunn, Teucrium polium L., Crataeva nurvala Buch-Ham., Urticadioica L., Dracocepha- lum moldavica L., Momordica Charantia L., Acacia auriculiformis A., Bidens pilosa Linn. The Lamiaceae species, Radiata, Leea indica, Pelargonium endlicherianum, Salvia offici- nalis L., and Uncaria tomentosa(Willd.) DC. The literature study disclosed more side effects of synthetic antioxidants (including food additives) incomparison with natural antioxidants and for prevention of many diseases.
Keywords: Antioxidants, medicinal plants, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, sources of antioxidants