Evaluation of Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Activities of Fruit Extract From Zanthoxylum Alatum: A Commonly Used Spice From Pakistan

Zanthoxylum alatum Roxb., is a medicinal plant which abundantly grows in the hilly areas of Pakistan. The dried fruit of the plant is used as condiment and has excellent spice value. In the present study, the antioxidant activity of the Z. alatum whole fruit was evaluated by several In vitro systems e.g., lipid peroxidation, 2,2-diphenlyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl radicals scavenging activities, phosphomolybdenum assay and metal chelation activity. The ethanolic extracts of fruit showed inhibition against Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), induced by different pro-oxidants (10 μM FeSO4 and 5 μM Sodium nitroprusside) in rat liver, brain and kidney homogenates. The extracts also caused the scavenging of DPPH (IC50 = 4.56 ± 1.3 mg/ mL) and hydroxyl radicals, and exhibited Fe chelating activity. The ability of the ethanolic extract to prevent the Fe/H2O2 induced deoxyribose decomposition was also determined. The extract showed its potential to prevent the decomposition of deoxyribose induced by iron and hydrogen peroxide at low concentration. The results suggest that the fruit of Z. alatum may act as an antioxidant agent which may be associated with its potential use as a functional food.