Phytochemical Screening and Antioxidant Activity of the Fruits of Boscia senegalensis (Pers.) Lam. e.g. Pear. (Capparaceae)

Human beings has always lived with his environment where plants offer him enormous potential for feeding and caring for himself. Natural substances derived from plants have aroused growing interest from nutritionists, food manufacturers and consumers over the last ten years. One of many reasons for this growing interest is the recognition of their antioxidant properties and thus their likely involvement in the prevention of various pathologies associated with oxidative stress. They are widely used therapeutically as vasoconstrictors, antiinflammatories, enzyme inhibitors, antioxidants and antiradicals, and antimicrobials.1,2 These natural compounds are essentially secondary metabolites1 present in all parts of higher plants (fruits, seeds, roots, stems, leaves, flowers, pollens) and are involved in many physiological processes such as cell growth, rhizogenesis, seed germination and fruit ripening.3