Spectrophotometric determination of antioxidant potential of selected Acacia species

The total phenolics and antioxidant activity of various acacia species were carried out for the comparative evaluation of effect of total phenolics on free radical scavenging activity. The bark of three species, Acacia catechu, Acacia lucophloea and Acacia nilotica were selected for the present study. Total phenolics were estimated by using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay and anti oxidant activity were measured as 1’-1’ diphenylpicryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging effects. Plants used in our study showed the property to counteract formation of NO. ABTS radical cation decolorisation assay could measure the relative antioxidant ability to scavenge the radical ABTS⁺ as compared with Trolox. The present study revealed that the free radical scavenging activity increased with the increase of phenolic compound content.