INVITRO ANTI-OXIDANT AND FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING ACTIVITY OF “THOTTAL SURUNGI CHURNAM
Mimosa pudica is one of the plant exhibiting anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-leprotic, antimicrobial activity. The whole plant of Mimosa pudica includes thorny stem and branches, flower head, dry flowers, seed pods, and folded and unfolded leaflets. This research work was carried out with ultimate objective to contribute to rational relationship between chemical entities of naturally occurring drugs and their biological and therapeutic effects. In the present study, antioxidant activity of Mimosa pudica leaves and roots including pharmacognostical and phytochemical studies were carried out. It has been reported that the whole plant has medicinal activities. The pharmacognostical study was carried out, which comprises of macro and microscopical characters of parts used. Proximate analysis in mimosa plant was carried out and which gave the valuable information about moisture content, ash values and extractive value of both the drugs. Phytochemical studies include preparation of extracts by successive solvent extraction and phytochemical screening of the extracts. Ethanolic extract of both the parts revealed the presence of maximum number of constituents like alkaloids, phenolic compounds, tannins, flavonoids, sterols and saponins. The observed significant antioxidant activity was determined due to presence of constituents like flavonoids and phenolic compounds in the roots leaves and of Mimosa pudica