Antioxidant Activity and the Polyphenolic and Flavonoid Contents of Five High Altitude Medicinal Plants Used in Bhutanese Sowa rigpa Medicine

Abstract

In this work, total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities in methanol and aqueous extracts of five-high altitude medicinal plants namely Aconogonon tortuosum, Thlaspi arvense, Erysimum bhutanicum, Thalictrum chelidonii and Aletris pauciflora were studied for the first time from Bhutan. Antioxidant activities were investigated using DPPH radical scavenging activity (DRSA), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) assays. Significant level of phenolics and flavonoids were found in all medicinal herbs. Among the five plants studied, aqueous extract of Thalictrum chelidonii and methanol extract of Erysimum bhutanicum showed best free radical scavenging activity. Both aqueous and methanol extracts of Aconogonon tortuosum showed strong ferric reducing antioxidant power. The results indicate that all five medicinal herbs could be potential sources of natural antioxidant compounds and could help boost the immune system of patients.

Key words:

• Antioxidant
• high altitude medicinal plants
• total phenolic content
• total flavonoid content
• Sowa rigpa