Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Activity of Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Objective: To preliminarily study radical scavenging and xanthineoxidase inhibitory activities of 41 select medicinal plant extracts.Methods: The plants were extracted by percolation with methanol.The antioxidant activity was first investigated using 2,2-diphenyl-1 (2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) hydrazyl (DPPH) assay, compared with gallic acid and vitamin C. The plant extracts giving IC50 less than 100.00 μg/ml were selected to study the anti-xanthine oxidase activity compared to allopurinol. Results: The extracts of Dischidia rafflesiana, Piper betle, Punica granatum and Caesalpinia sappan showed high antioxidant capacity (IC50 < 10.00 μg/ml). Extracts of Curcuma comosa and Cinnamomum iners strongly inhibited xanthine oxidase activity with an allopurinol equivalent antixanthine oxidase activity of < 10.00 μg/ml. Other plants also demonstrated antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities although with a less extent. Conclusion: Various medicinal plants, possessing antioxidant  activity and xanthine oxidase inhibitor, could be a good candidate for future studies of in vivo models of gout.Keywords: radical scavenging activity, xanthine oxidase inhibitor, medicinal plant