Abstract
Excessive production and restricted elimination of free radicals like superoxide, hydroxyl radical ((·)OH), anion radical (O(2) (·-)), and non-radical hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) are related to the development of cancer, arteriosclerosis, arthritis and neurodegenerative diseases. According to a report of World Health Organisation, about 80% of the population living in the developing countries predominantly depends on the traditional medicine for their primary healthcare. Plants possess innate ability to synthesize a wide variety of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants capable of attenuating ROS-induced oxidative damage. The ethanolic leaf extracts of Syzygium jambos L. and Terminalia citrina Roxb. exhibited a significant in vitro antioxidant activity when compared with natural antioxidant, ascorbic acid. The extracts also provided strong cellular protection against the damaging effects of H(2)O(2) induced oxidative stress in the mutant strains (tsa1Δ and sod1Δ) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The GC-MS analysis of the leaf extracts revealed the presence of phytoconstituents majorly constituting of terpenes, vitamin and fatty acids contributing to the antioxidant property. The plant extracts may serve as a potential source of exogenous antioxidants to combat the undesirable effects of oxidative stress.