Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology

Antioxidant based drugs or formulations for the prevention and treatment of complex diseases like atherosclerosis, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and cancer have appeared during the last three decades. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in oxidative stress related to the pathogenesis of various important diseases. Antioxidants are substances that delay or prevent the oxidation of cellular oxidizable substrates. Recently, natural plants have received much attention as sources of biological active substances including antioxidants. The present study was undertaken to investigate the antioxidant activity of Benincasa hispida Cogn. Fruit. The in vitro antioxidant activity of the ethanol extract of the fruit of Benincasa hispida Cogn. was evaluated using various experimental methods such as H₂O₂ radical scavenging activity, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide radical scavenging activity and reducing power assay. The study suggests that the Benincasa hispida could be pharmaceutically exploited for antioxidant properties.