PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIOXIDANT STUDY OF IPOMOEA BATATAS LAM (SWEET POTATOES)
Antioxidants are the substances that protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Antioxidants are capable of stabilizing or deactivating, free radicals before they attack cells. The white Ipomoea batatas obtained from plant cultivator was authenticated at the National Institute of Herbal Science, Plant Anatomy Research Center Chennai as the tuber of sweet potatoes and was confirmed as Ipomoea batatas Lam. Aqueous extract of Ipomoea batatas was subjected to qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis and its antioxidant property was evaluated. The antioxidant activity was determined by five standard methods namely DPPH radical scavenging, FRAP, Nitric oxide, Superoxide anion scavenging and Hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay. The antioxidant compounds like BHT, ascorbic acid, Quercitin were used as standards. Analysis revealed the presence of major phytocompounds like flavonoids, quinones, coumarins, and saponins. Ipomoea batatas showed strong DPPH radical scavenging activity of about 83%. In ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay the extract showed increased absorbance which was directly related to the combined or total reducing power of the electron donating antioxidants. Nitric oxide radical inhibition was 41%. 73% of Superoxide anion was inhibited, followed by 72% of Hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging activity by aqueous extract of Ipomoea batatas which showed marked antioxidant effect. The findings indicated promising antioxidant activity of the extract and needs further exploration for its effective use in both modern and traditional system of medicines