Antioxidant Study of Unani Formulation ARQ Mundi

AbstractArq mundi (a clear aqueous distillate of flowers of the plant Sphaerenthus indicus) a Unani product recommended by the Unani practitioners in a variety of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and other disorders was evaluated for antioxidant property in various in vitro models. The hydrogen donating ability was measured in the presence of 1,1 diphenyl-2-picryl hydroxyl (DPPH) radical, reducing power was studied according to the reaction of Fe3+ to Fe2+, and inhibition of nitric oxide radical generation was also studied. The IC50 values for all the above studied in vitro models were encouraging and found to be 1 ml (undiluted preparation). Based on our result, it is revealed that arq mundi possesses free radical scavenging ability. Free radicals have been reported to be one of the causes of the above organ disorders. Thus, our study justifies application of the arq in the above disorders.KeywordsArq, Mundi, DPPH, Unani medicine