Search or add a thesis

Advanced Search (Beta)
Home > Antioxidant Properties of Medicinal Plants from Coastal Pakistan

Antioxidant Properties of Medicinal Plants from Coastal Pakistan

Thesis Info

Access Option

External Link

Author

Qasim, Muhammad

Program

PhD

Institute

University of Karachi

City

Karachi

Province

Sindh

Country

Pakistan

Thesis Completing Year

2015

Thesis Completion Status

Completed

Subject

Botany

Language

English

Link

http://prr.hec.gov.pk/jspui/bitstream/123456789/13480/1/Muhammad_Qasim_Botany_2015_Univ_of_Karachi_25.03.2016.pdf

Added

2021-02-17 19:49:13

Modified

2024-03-24 20:25:49

ARI ID

1676725515489

Similar


Plants have been a major source of chemicals that are useful in treating various human diseases. Synthetic medicines have gained considerable importance but the necessity of drugs extracted from plants is still high because of the greater beneficial effects and lesser side effects of natural products. Natural substitutes of synthetic products are therefore being investigated from plants that are inexpensive and safe to use. The aims of this study were to conduct detailed ethno-medicinal surveys of the rural communities distributed along coastal and sub-coastal regions of Pakistan; to evaluate antioxidant activity and polyphenolic composition of known medicinal plants; and to identify plant species rich in natural antioxidants. I identified about 100 plant species with medicinal properties and most of them were perennials. Decoctions of above-ground plant parts were commonly used to cure 17 different types of ailments by local inhabitants. Halophytes had higher antioxidant potential and phenolic content compared to non-halophytes. Highest antioxidant capacity was recorded in methanol (80%) extracts of Thespesia populneoides, Salvadora persica, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Suaeda fruticosa and Pluchea lanceolata, which was more than that of synthetic antioxidants. These halophytes accumulated significant amounts of total phenolics (TPC), flavonoids (TFC) and proanthocynidins (PC) with high antioxidant activity in their above ground vegetative parts (leaf and stem) compared to roots and seeds. A strong positive correlation was also observed between polyphenols (TPC, TFC and PC) and antioxidant activity using different testing systems. Major phenolics were salicylic, gallic, and chlorogenic acids while dominant flavonoids were kaempferol, rutin and quercetin dihydrate. My data indicate that halophytes represent a rich source of natural antioxidants besides their medicinal uses and could also be considered as potential alternative to synthetic antioxidants for food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and other industrial products. These plants could provide sufficient biomass at commercial scale using brackish water and saline lands while sparing fresh water and prime agricultural lands for conventional agriculture.
Loading...
Loading...

Similar News

Loading...

Similar Articles

Loading...

Similar Article Headings

Loading...