IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF THESPESIA POPULNEA FLOWER EXTRACT

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age- related neurodegenarative disorder linked to oxidative stress and cholinergic dysfunction. Thespesia populnea (family: Malvaceae), traditionally used for its antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, was evaluated for its in-vitro antioxidant potential in this study. Methods: Flowers of T.populnea were collected, authenticated, shade-dried, and extracted using 70% ethanol by soxhlet method. The ethanolic extract of Thespesia populnea flower(EETPF) was subjected to priliminary phytochemical screening and antioxidant assays, including DPPH radical scavenging, phosphomolybdate total antioxidant capacity and ferric reducing power assays. Results: Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of flavonoids, phenolics, tannins, alkaloids, carbohydrates and phytosterols. The EETPF exhibited significant DPPH radical scavenging activity with an IC50 of 29.58 μg/ml compaired to ascorbic acid (IC50 = 12.96μg/ml). The extract’s antioxidant activity was equivalent to 8.31μg/ml and 16.25 μg/ml of ascorbic acid in phosphomolybdate and ferric reducing assays, respectively. Conclusion: The ethanolic flower extract of Thespesia populnea demonstrates potent, dose- dependent antioxidant activity, supporting its potential as a natural therapeutic agent against oxidative stress-mediated neurodegenarative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.