Importance of Deoxyribose Degradation Assay for Evaluating Hydroxyl Radical Scavenging Activity of Punica Extract

Punica granatum L. (Family: Punicaceae), commonly known as pomegranate (Anar) has been used traditionally as medicine to treat a number of diseases and disorders. Various parts of the plant and their active constituents are known to possess diverse biological activity. However, little is known about the antioxidant potential of pomegranate fruit peel, which is otherwise considered as waste. Therefore, the concentration-dependent hydroxyl radical scavenging ability of Punica granatum seed and peel extracts (alcoholic and aqueous) using deoxyribose degradation assay were analyzed and compared. The hydroxyl radical scavenging activity at different concentrations of extract (10 to 250 μg/mL) both in presence and/or absence of ascorbic acid and ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid was determined. It was observed that a higher concentration of extract suppresses scavenging activity and lower promotes antioxidant property. Based on the observations, it may be inferred that pomegranate extract, especially from the spent/waste prt, has a strong antioxidant property as assessed by its property of scavenging hydroxyl radical formation.