A Comparative Study of Antioxidant Activity between Ethanolic and Aqueous Extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum

Cardiospermum halicacabum is conventionally used in the treatment of stiffness of limbs, chronic bronchitis, and snakebites. The whole plant of Cardiospermum halicacabum has been extracted using ethanol and aqueous solvent and estimation of their antioxidant activity done for predicted current research work. Both ethanol and aqueous extracts illustrate important antioxidant activity in the DPPH method, nitric oxide method, and hydroxyl radical-induced In-vitro assay method. The DPPH radical inhibition (%) was 53.13, 57.13, and 79.12 for EECH, AECH, and Standard ascorbic acid respectively. The Cardiospermum halicacabum extracts (EECH and AECH) showed significant free radical scavenging action against nitric oxide (NO) induced release of free radicals at the concentrations 250μg/ml, showing 29.22% and 63.32% of nitric oxide inhibition, respectively. The EECH and AECH extracts (25-400μg/ml) significantly scavenged the hydroxyl radical generated by the EDTA/HO system, when compared to that of ascorbic acid. The plant Cardiospermum halicacabum has been used to treat different ailments. The present study clearly showed that both the extracts viz. EECH and AECH of the plant possess significant antioxidant activity. Moreover, ethanolic extract was proved as more potent candidature as compared to aqueous extract. The molecular level mechanism is the future interest of the researchers to prove the traditional use of the plant.