A detailed study on the antioxidant activity of the stem bark of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb., an Indian medicinal plant

A detailed study was performed on the antioxidant activity of the aqueous and methanol extracts (AED and MED respectively) of the stem bark of the plant, Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. (Fam. Fabaceae), also known as Indian Rosewood. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was measured by in vitro chemical analyses involving the assays of (1) 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (2) ferric ion reducing power (3) ferrous ion chelating activity and (4) Au nanoparticle formation potential. A simplified method was developed based on Au nanoparticles formation to assess the antioxidant activity of any plant extract, and was used for the first time to assay the antioxidant activity of AED and MED. In all the assays, AED showed significantly greater activity over MED. This work provides a scientific support for the high antioxidant activity of this plant and thus it may find potential applications in the treatment of the diseases caused by ROS.