3.5. In vitro antioxidant activity
The antioxidant activity of four crude extracts of M. peregrina leaves was investigated by commonly used radical scavenging methods such as DPPH and H2O2. The scavenging effect of leaves extracts on the DPPH and peroxide free radicals were expressed as % inhibition and they were compared with standard antioxidant, ascorbic acid. All the four extracts showed a dose dependent scavenging activity of DPPH comparable to standard antioxidant. The IC50 value (in μg/mL) of the extracts was found in the order of hexane>ethyl acetate>chloroform>methanol extract (Table 4). It was interesting to note that the scavenging ability of methanol extract at concentration of 25, 50 and 100 μg/mL was greater than ascorbic acid although IC50 value of ascorbic acid (13.68 μg/mL) was much less than the methanol extract (17.07 μg/mL).