DETERMINATION OF ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-HEMOLYTIC ACTIVITIES OF CASSIA OCCIDENTALIS SEED EXTRACT

This study was conducted to determine antioxidant and anti-hemolytic activities of methanol seed extract of cassia occidentalis.The investigation employed a concentration-dependent approach across three distinct assays using five concentrations from 0.2 to 1.0 mg/ml. DPPH radical scavenging activity, measured the extract's ability to donate a hydrogen atom to neutralize the free radical. The extract demonstrated a moderate, concentration-dependent scavenging effect, increasing from 11.35% to 24.09% inhibition. The calculated IC50 value for the extract was 2.79 mg/ml, which was significantly higher than the standard Ascorbic Acid's IC50 of 0.27 mg/ml, indicating lower measurable radical scavenging potency. This activity is attributed to the presence of alkaloids and phenolic compounds in the extract. The Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay assessed the extract's electron-donating capacity by its ability to reduce Fe3+ to Fe 2+ The extract showed higher performance in this assay, with inhibition ranging from 31.04% to 63.46%. The extract's IC50 of 0.59 mg/ml was significantly closer to Ascorbic Acid's IC50 of 0.40 mg/ml, suggesting a strong antioxidant mechanism primarily through electron transfer. This enhanced reducing power is likely due to the extract's rich content of flavonoids and phenolic compounds. The in-vitro anti-hemolytic activity assay evaluated the extract's protective capacity against oxidative hemolysis in human erythrocytes. The extract demonstrated substantial membrane-protective properties, with inhibition ranging from 29.97% to a peak of 78.50% at the 0.8 mg/ml concentration. Notably, the protective effect slightly decreased to 63.62% at the highest concentration of 1.0 mg/ml. The IC50 for the anti-hemolytic activity was 0.57 mg/ml, which compared favorably to the standard Aspirin's IC50 of 0.35 mg/ml. The cytoprotective effect is posited to arise from the synergistic action of phytochemicals like tannins, saponins, and flavonoids, which scavenge free radicals, chelate metal ions, and stabilize the RBC membrane.