Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and In vitro Antioxidant Activity of Nigella sativa and Allium cepa Oil

Abstract

Many oxidative stress related diseases are as a consequence of accumulation of free radicals in the body. The various researches are going on globally directed towards finding natural antioxidants of plants origins. We planned to investigate the preliminary phytochemical screening and in vitro antioxidant activity of Nigella sativa and Allium cepa oil. The yield of oil of Nigella sativa and Allium cepa were 21.5% and 27.3%, respectively. Phytochemical screening was performed by using standard methods. The in vitro antioxidant study was done for Nigella sativa and Allium cepa oil by using hydrogen-donating activity, superoxide scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay and reducing power assay. The result of phytochemical screening demonstrated the presence of flavonoids, steroids and fats in Nigella sativa and Allium cepa oil. The findings of DPPH, superoxide, reducing power and H2O2 radical scavenging activity exhibited that the oil of Nigella sativa and Allium cepa showed moderately to strongly free radical scavenging activity. Hence Nigella sativa and Allium cepa oil can play a major role in alleviating the number of oxidative stress by reducing the oxidative damage to cellular component caused by Reactive oxygen species (ROS).