ANTI-FREE RADICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SAHARIAN PLANT Anastatica hierochuntica L. From THE FAR SOUTH ALGERIAN WEST

Abstract

During the recent years, scientific research focused on the bioactive compounds of plants that are intended for phytopharmaceutical use. Much research has highlighted the role of the oxidative phenomenon in the initiation of disease. Consequently, the selection of traditional plants to discover of new drugs presents a great importance, in this context, the present study aims to measure the antioxidant activity of a medicinal plant "Anastatica hierochuntica L." in the region of Tindouf (Far Southwest of Algeria). The study of antioxidant potency by DPPH method of three macerates of A.hierochuntica L., showed that aqueous and methanolic macerates presented interesting antioxidant activities expressed by the IC 50 giving the results 0,143±0,0074 and 0,257±0,012mg/ml respectively. In addition, the methanolic macerate of the stems presented a medium activity estimated at 0,358 ± 0,158mg/ml. However, the aqueous and etheric macerates of the stems have given a very low antioxidant activity revealed by the values 1,0290 ± 0,115 and 2,08 ± 0,130 mg/ml, respectively. These preliminary results have allowed us to predict that natural substances in the plant can be considered as important source of compounds with significant antioxidant properties, which suggests their application in pharmaceutical and food industry could be quite accurate.