摘要：Background. Free radicals are implicated in several metabolic diseases and the antioxidant therapy has gained an utmost importance in the treatment. The medicinal properties of plants have been investigated and explored for their potent antioxidant activities to counteract metabolic disorders. In this study, the chemical composition and free radical scavenging potential of leaf gall extracts (ethanol, petroleum ether, chloroform and aqueous) of Terminelia chebula is evaluated, which is extensively used in the preparation of traditional medications to treat various metabolic diseases. Material and methods. The presences of phenolics, fl avonoids, triterpens, saponins, glycosides, phytosterols, reducing sugars were identifi ed in the extracts according to standard procedures. The free radical scavenging activities of the extract were also analysed by standard procedures. Results. The methanol extract had the highest total phenolic and fl avonoid content. The antioxidant activities of leaf gall extracts were examined using diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Super oxide radical scavenging, Hydroxyl scavenging and ferric reducing power (FRAP) methods. In all the methods, the ethanolic extract showed higher free radical scavenging potential than all the other extracts. Conclusion. As the higher content of both total phenolics and fl avonoids were found in the ethanolic extract, so the signifi cantly high antioxidant activity can be positively correlated to the high content of total polyphenols/fl avonoids of the ethanol extract. The results of this study confi rm the folklore use of T. chebula leaves gall extracts as a natural antioxidant and justify its ethnobotanical use. Further, the results of antioxidant properties encourage the use of T. chebula leave gall extracts for medicinal health, functional food and nutraceutical applications.
其他关键词：Terminelia chebula, plants, galls, antioxidant, gallic acid, metabolic diseases, drug
