Rajani Kanta Sahu et al.

IRJP 2011, 2 (12), 243-248

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACY, 2(12), 2011
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACY ISSN 2230 8407
Available online www.irjponline.com Research Article

EVALUATION OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF
FIVE CURCUMA SPECIES
Gayatri Nahak and Rajani Kanta Sahu*
B.J.B Autonomous College, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Article Received on: 14/10/11 Revised on: 25/11/11 Approved for publication: 09/12/11

*Email: sahurajani.sahu@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The Zingiberaceae, the largest family in the Zingiberales, comprises nearly 50 genera and 1,000 species and is pantropical, concentrated mainly in the old world, chiefly in Indo-
malaysia. Members of the family yield spices, dyes, perfumes, medicines and a number of ornamental species are cultivated for their showy flowers. Recently this plant has
acquired great importance in the present-day world with its antiaging, anticancer, anti-alzheimers diseases, antioxidant, and a variety of other medicinal properties due to its
significant potential. The present study aims at comparing the antioxidant activity of five Curcuma species namely Curcuma longa, Curcuma zedoaria, Curcuma angustifolia,
Curcuma aromatica and Curcuma amada based on their curcumin and phenol content. In our studying C.longa exhibited the highest antioxidant activity 74.610.02% at IC50
value 24g/ml followed by C.zedoaria (63.270.06%), C.angustifolia (58.350.06%), C.aromatica (55.380.06%) and C.amada (52.610.02%). Antioxidant activity in four
species except C.angustifolia has strong correlation with curcumin and phenol content. However C.angustifolia may be active due to high aromatic oil content like eugenol,
palmitic and camphor etc. The natural oxides of curcuma species can be explained in the field of pharmaceutical areas for their uses in modern health care as phytoprotectants.
KEY WORDS: Curcuma longa, Curcuma zedoaria, Curcuma angustifolia, Curcuma aromatica, Curcuma amada, Antioxidant activity, Phenol content.

INTRODUCTION
Zingiberaceae family constitutes a vital group of rhizomatous
medicinal and aromatic plants characterized by the presence of
volatile oils and oleoresins of export value. Generally, the rhizomes
and fruits are aromatic, tonic and stimulant; occasionally they are
nutritive. Some are used as food as they contain starch in large
quantities while others yield an astringent and diaphoretic juice. The
important genera coming under Zingiberaceae is Curcuma. Turmeric
is a medicinal plant extensively used in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha
medicine as home remedy for various diseases
4,13
. C.longa L.,
botanically related to ginger (Zingiberaceae family), is a perennial
plant having a short stem with large oblong leaves and bears ovate,
pyri form or oblong rhizomes, which are often branched and
brownish yellow in colour. It also is used as a food additive (spice),
preservative and colouring agent in Asian countries, including China
and South East Asia. It is also considered as auspicious and is a part
of religious rituals. In old Hindu medicine, it is extensively used for
the treatment of sprains and swelling caused by injury. In recent
times, traditional Indian medicine uses turmeric powder for the
treatment of biliary disorders, anorexia, coryza, cough, diabetic
wounds, hepatic disorders, rheumatism and sinusitis
5
. In India,
ladies anoint their bodies with turmeric paste, which is considered to
be an antiseptic. Purseglove
36,37
states that it is a condiment and a
spice among the rice eating peoples of South East Asia and
Indochina. Turmeric dyes is used in combination with some alkalies
to colour silk and cotton. It is also used in several countries as a
colouring material in pharmacy, confectionery and food industries. It
is an essential and sacred ingredient of all social, cultural and
religious functions and rites in India, especially in the South
51
.
Aiyar
1
, Kirtikar and Basu
27
, Watt
55
, Haines
18
and Holtumn
20
describe
the various uses of Curcuma. Purseglove
36,37
also gives a limited
account of its uses. The medicinal properties of turmeric are
innumerable and very ancient. Kirtikar and Basu
27
state that the
rhizome is very pungent, bitter, healing, laxative, anthelmentic,
vulnerary, tonic, alexeteric and emollient. It is used as a medicine in
various kapha and vata diseases of blood. In Comboidia it is used as
a tonic and antipyretic. In China it is used as a stimulant, aspirant,
carminative, cordeal, emmenagogue, astringent, detergent, diuretic
and matrient. It is used in Unani systems in treating, jaundice,
scabies and bruises. On the whole it is used in the treatment of
bronchitis, dropsy, vertigo, skin diseases, liver infections, burns,
boils, elephantiasis, sprains, hysteric effects, fevers, swellings,
chronic gonorrhoea, bruises, small pox, chicken pox, scorpion snake
and leech bites, congestions, scabies, dyspepsia, ring worm, etc.
C.aromatica Salisb yields arrow root. Quite recently C.longa is
proved to contain a chemical constituent called turmerin which is
anticarcinogenic, antipyretic and antiallergic. The importance of
turmeric has significantly increased due to its usefulness as
pesticide, fungicide and bactericide
51
.
Curcuma longa Linn. syn. Curcuma domestica Valeton. is a
perennial herb, 60-90cm in height, with a short stem and tufts of
erect leaves. Rhizome is cylindric, ovoid, orange coloured and
branched. Leaves are simple, very large, petiole as long as the blade,
oblong-lanceolate, tapering to the base up to 45cm long. Flowers are
pale yellow, arranged in spikes concealed by the sheathing petioles
and flowering bracts are pale green
51
. The botanical description is
also done by Gamble
15
, Kirtikar and Basu
27
, Sivarajan and
Balachandran
40
and Thakur
46
. C.longa contains curcumin, alkaloid
and an essential oil. Dry rhizomes of C.longa yield 5.8% essential
oil. A ketone and an alcohol are obtained from the volatile distillate.
Fresh rhizomes yield 0.24% oil containing Zingiberine
11
. The
colouring principle of turmeric is the main component of this plant
and is responsible for the antiinflammatory property. Curcumin
(diferuloylmethane), the main yellow bioactive component of
turmeric has been shown to have a wide spectrum of biological
actions. These include its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,
anticarcinogenic, antimutagenic, anticoagulant, antifertility,
antidiabetic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antiviral,
antifibrotic, antivenom, antiulcer, hypotensive and
hypocholesteremic activities
45,21,51
. Its antiinflammatory, anticancer
and antioxidant roles may be clinically exploited to control
rheumatism, carcinogenesis and oxidative stress-related
pathogenesis. The successive extraction of C.longa with petroleum
ether, alcohol and distilled water yielded extracts when administered
on 1-7 days of pregnancy at dose levels of 100and 200mg/kg have
been found to exhibit significant anti-fertility activity
14
.
Curcuma aromatica Salisb. is a perennial tuberous herb with
annulate, aromatic yellow rhizome which is internally orange-red in
colour. Leaves are elliptic or lanceolate-oblong, caudate-acuminate,
30-60cm long, petioles as long or even longer, bracts ovate,
recurved, more or less tinged with red or pink. Flowers are pink, lip
yellow, obovate, deflexed, sub-entire or obscurely three lobed. Fruits
are dehiscent, globose, 3-valved capsules
51
. The plant is also
described by Gamble
15
and Kirtikar and Basu
27
. Rhizomes yield
Rajani Kanta Sahu et al. IRJP 2011, 2 (12), 243-248
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACY, 2(12), 2011
6.1% essential oil
11
. Essential oil contains a-and b-curcumene, d-
camphene and p-methoxy cinnamic acid. The colouring matter is
curcumin. Rhizomes are used in combination with astringents and
aromatics for bruises, sprains, hiccough, bronchitis, cough,
leucoderma and skin eruptions
51
. The rhizomes have an agreeable
fragrant smell and yield a yellow colouring matter like turmeric, and
the fresh root has a camphoraceous odour. The dried rhizome is used
as a carminative and aromatic adjunctant to other medicines
32
. Oil is
used for treatment of early stage of cervix cancer
3
. Verghese
49

established the use of mango-ginger as an exotic flavourant.
Curcuma zedoaria (Berg.) Rosc. syn. C.zerumbet Roxb; Amomum
zedoaria Christm. has 4 -6 leaves with 20-60cm long lamina. The
leaf lamina is oblong-lanceolate, finely acuminate and glabrous on
both the surfaces. Flower stalk is 20-25cm long, emerging before the
leaves. Flowers are yellow, while the flowering bract is green tinged
with red. Calyx is 8mm long, corolla tube is twice as long as the
calyx. Capsule is ovoid, trigonous, thin smooth and bursting
irregularly. Tubers are palmately branched and camphoraceous
46
.
The botanical description of the plant is also given by Sivarajan and
Balachandrann
40
. The medicinal uses of C.zedoaria were
summarized from various sources by Duke
12
as antipyretic,
aromatic, carminative, demulcent, expectorant, stomachic, stimulant,
and tonic. A decoction of rhizomes along with long pepper,
cinnamon, and honey is said to be beneficial for colds, fevers,
bronchitis, and coughs. Rhizomes are used in medicines given to
women after childbirth
46
. It is an odoriferous ingredient of the
cosmetics used for the chronic skin diseases caused by impure or
deranged blood
32
.
Curcuma angustifolia (Zingiberaceae) is an attractive ginger with
stout underground rhizomes which is also recognized as East Indian
arrowroot. In early spring the flowers are produced before the
leaves. Very colorful bracts make this a showy species. The
inflorences lasts in full bloom on the plants for about three weeks
and more. Leaves grow to about 2ft tall and die down in autumn.
This species is found in the Eastern Himalays and inhabits bright
open hillsides woods
7
. Rhizomes are dried and powdered, and the
starch obtained forms the chief source of Indian arrowroot. It is
nutritive and is used as an agreeable, non-irritating diet in certain
chronic diseases, during convalescence from fevers, in irritations of
the alimentary canal, pulmonary organs, or of the urinary apparatus
and also used in consumption, excessive thirst, jaundice, kidney
disorder, and fattening the body
38
. The rhizomes are used in
inammation, bone fracture, intestinal diseases, etc. by the tribales
of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh states of India
23
.
Curcuma amada Roxb. is a rhizomatous aromatic herb with a leafy
tuft and 60-90cm in height. Leaves are long, petiolate, oblong-
lanceolate, tapering at both ends, glabrous and green on both sides.
Flowers are white or pale yellow, arranged in spikes in the centre of
tuft of the leaves. Lip is semi-elliptic, yellow, 3-lobbed with the mid
lobe emarginate
51
. The plant is also described by Gamble
15
and
Kirtikar and Basu
27
.The rhizomes of this plant are useful in vitiated
conditions of pitta, anorexia, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, bruises,
wounds, chronic ulcers, skin diseases, pruritus, fever, constipations,
strangury, hiccough, cough, bronchitis, sprains, gout, halitosis,
otalgia and inflammations
51
. The fresh root possesses the smell of
green mango and hence the name mango ginger. The rhizomes are
used externally in the form of paste as an application for bruises and
skin diseases generally combined with other medicines. Tubers
rubbed with the leaf-juice of Caesalpinia bonduc is given for
worms
32
. Rhizome is also used in applications over contusions and
sprains
11
.
Free radicals were a major interest for early physicists and
radiologists and much later, the free radicals were found to be a
product of normal metabolisms. Today, it is well known that radicals
cause molecular transformations and gene mutations that curcumin
and other antioxidant products from the dried rhizome of turmeric
may be useful in the prevention or treatment of some age-related
degenerative processes
31
. This study was undertaken to verify the
variation of total curcumin contents and antioxidant activity in
turmeric rhizomes collected from different villages of Koraput
district of Odisha.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant Materials
The rhizomes of five curcuma species i.e. Curcuma longa, Curcuma
zedoaria, Curcuma angustifolia, Curcuma aromatica and Curcuma
amada of family Zingiberaceae were collected from the local tribal
people of Jeypore, Baipariguda, Sasahandi, Koraput, Orissa. Fresh
rhizomes were rinsed severally with clean tap water to make it dust
and debris free. Then they were dried in the shady condition for 3to4
days until they become moisture free. Dried rhizomes were ground
in electric chopper to get fine powder form for further use.
Preparation of plant extracts
The dried and powdered form of rhizomes of curcuma species (each
50g) were extracted successively with ethanol (each 400ml.) for 10-
12 hrs, using a Soxhlet apparatus. Then collected solutions were
filtered through Whatman No-1 filter paper. The extracts were
evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure at 90
0
C by Rotary
vacuum evaporator to obtain the respective extracts and stored in a
freeze condition at 18
0
C until used for further analysis.
Phenolic Estimation
The total phenol content of plant extracts were determined by using
Folin-Ciocalteu Spectrophotometric method according to the method
described
26
. Reading samples on a UV-vis spectrophotometer at 650
nm. Results were expressed as Catechol equivalents (mg/mg).
Estimation of Curcumin Contents
Curcumin contents were determined from rhizomes of five Curcuma
species i.e. Curcuma longa, Curcuma zedoaria, Curcuma
angustifolia, Curcuma aromatica and Curcuma amada by solvent
extraction and spectrophotometer method
39
.
Antioxidative activity
The evaluation of radical scavenging activity (antioxidant activity)
was conducted by the method of (Brand-Williams et al.
8
with
modifications. The following concentrations of extracts were
prepared 40g/mL, 80g/mL, 120g/mL, 160g/mL and 200g/mL.
A stock solution of the sample (100mg/ml) was diluted for 5
concentrations. Each concentration was tested in triplicate. The
portion of sample solution (0.5ml) was mixed with 3.0ml of 0.1mM
1,1-Diphenyl-2-2picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, in 95% distilled ethanol)
and allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 minute under light
protection. The absorbance was measured at 517nm.The scavenging
activity of the samples at corresponded intensity of quenching
DPPH. Lower the absorbance of the reaction mixture indicates
higher free radical scavenging activity. The different in absorbance
between the test and the control (DPPH in ethanol) was calculated
and expressed as (%) scavenging of DPPH radical. The capability to
scavenge the DPPH radical was calculated by using the following
equation.
Scavenging effect (%) = (1-As/Ac) 100
As is the absorbance of the sample at t =0 min.
Ac is the absorbance of the control at t=30 min.
In the DPPH test, antioxidants were typically characterized by their
IC
50
value (Inhibition Concentration of Sample required to scavenge
50% of DPPH radicals). The results were obtained by linear
regression analysis of the dose response curve plotted using %
inhibition and concentration.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Initially crude extracts were obtained through the extraction process
using ethanol as solvent and the amount of extracts yields C.longa
Rajani Kanta Sahu et al. IRJP 2011, 2 (12), 243-248
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACY, 2(12), 2011
(3.35gm), C.aromatica (2.56gm), C.zedoaria (2.67gm), C.amada
(2.20gm) and C.angusifolia (2.62gm) respectively. The variation in
yield may be due to the polarity of the solvents used in the extraction
process (Table-2). A medicinal herb can be viewed as a synthetic
laboratory as it produces and contains a number chemical
compounds. These compounds are responsible for medicinal
activities are secondary metabolites. Qualitative analysis of five
curcuma species reveals the presence of alkaloids, saponins,
flavonoids, phenols, curcumin and anthraquinones (Table-1). The
total phenolics in the extracts were determined
spectrophotometrically by the Folin-ciocalteu method and the results
were reported as Catechol equivalents (mg/g). The highest
concentration of total phenol was 285mg/g present in the ethanolic
extract of C.longa rhizome followed by C.zedoaria (205mg/ml),
C.aromatica(195mg/ml), C.angusifolia (110mg/ml) and
C.amada(50mg/ml) respectively. The total phenolic content varied
significantly between the five species of Curcuma.
The unique properties of the spice are attributable to the essential oil
and curcuminoid components present therein. Curcumin possess
excellent antioxidant properties. It is reported to be more potent in
preventing lipid peroxidation than alpha-tocopherol, pine bark
extract, grape seed extract or the commonly used synthetic
antioxidant BHT
28,44
. A complex of the three curcuminoids was
found to be more effective as an antioxidant than each of the
components-curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, or
bisdemethoxycurcumin-used alone. The results obtained from these
six curcuma species from Table-2 showed that the curcumin content
in C.longa exhibited the highest i.e. 8.22(mg/100mg) followed by
C.zedoaria 7.35(mg/100mg), C.aromatica 6.07(mg/100mg) and
C.amada 1.54(mg/100mg) respectively where as C.angusifolia very
negligible amount of curcumin. Curcumin content is reported to vary
from one species to another. Several studies have shown that soil
factors, including nutrients and level acidity as well as the genus
diversity, may affect the content of curcumin in plants
10,16
. Similar
results are obtained by Chavalittumrong and Jirawattanapon (1992)
who studied variation in the active constituents of C.domestica
rhizomes collected from Nakhon Pathom, Central Thailand, where
they found the highest curcumin content was 10.12% w/w. In
addition
35
, reported that a sample from the South contained the
highest total curcumin (8.990.83%w/w), while the lowest was
found in the North (4.801.83%w/w) where the climate is cooler and
the dry period is longer and more pronounced. The significance of
turmeric in medicine has increased considerably with the discovery
of the antioxidant properties of naturally occurring phenolic
compounds present therein. Curcumin exhibits strong antioxidant
activity6,
17,4142,48
. In DPPH assay, DPPH is a stable free radical with
purple color. The antioxidants scavenge DPPH radical by donating
hydrogen atoms leading to a non-radical with yellow color. Table-3
and Fig-2 show the results of the free radical (DPPH) scavenging
activity in (%) inhibition in all five Curcuma species. The result
revealed that the ethanolic fraction of C.longa rhizome exhibited the
highest radical scavenging activity with 74.610.02% followed
C.zedoaria (63.270.06%) C.angusifolia (58.350.06%), C.
aromatic (55.380.06%) and C.amada (52.610.02%) respectively.
Antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging assay reported
with IC
50
value is shown in the (Table-2). The lower the IC50 is the
higher the antioxidant activity of the compound. The result showed
the lowest IC
50
value in ethanolic extract of C.longa which is very
close to ascorbic acid i.e. 24g/ml followed by C. zedoaria
(40g/ml), C. angusifolia (100g/ml), C.aromatica (120g/ml) and
C.amada (121g/ml) respectively. Similar results are observed in
C.longa by Ungphaiboon et al.
47
and showed strong activity. The
antioxidant principle of turmeric as reported by Hirasa and
Takemasa
19
includes curcumin, 4-hydroxy cinnmoyl (feruloyl)
methane, and Bis (4-hydroxy cinnamoyl) methame which shows
50% inhibhitory concentrations and IC
50
values of these compounds
were lower than that of -tocopherol meaning that they are more
effective antioxidants. Noguchi et al.
33
reported that curcumin
reacted with stable radicals such as galvinoxyl and N,N-diphenyl-l-
picryl hydrazyl, suggesting that it can serve as a hydrogen donor and
is a strong antioxidant as compared to eugenol. Song et al.
43
reported
free radical scavenging and hepato-protective activity of turmeric
rhizomes in in vitro system, and the activity was much better than
that of ascorbic acid. The mechanism of antioxidative activity of
curcumin has been reported by Masuda et al.
30
. He found that
curcumin formed dimers as radical termination products especially
at 2-position of curcumin molecule and oxidative coupling reaction
at 3-position
29
. Watanabe and Fukai
52,53
have reported that
curcumin suppresses the oxidative stress by scavenging various free
radicals andits antioxidative activity seems to be derived from its
suppressive effects. Asai and Miyazawa
2
showed that phenolic
yellowish pigments of turmeric display antioxidative activity in rats
while Okada et al.
34
in his study on induced oxidative renal damage
in male mice showed that curcumin is an effective protectant against
oxidative stress. Curcumin, having antioxidative property, may act
as anticancer agent, but also inhibits the regulatory enzymes and
exhibits anticarcinogenic action. A peculiar thing is noticeable in
case of C.angustifolia crude extract which contain a very negligible
amount of curcumin content but having good antioxidant potential in
comparison to C.aromatica and C.amada. It may be due to presence
of more than 30 components from the fresh and dried rhizome oils
of C.angustifolia of Vietnamese origin in which camphor (12.6 and
12.1%) and curzerenone (>57 and 38%) are the major constituents
55
.
It is interesting to note that a signicant amount of methyl eugenol
(10.5%), -muurolene (1.9%), pentadecanoic acid (1.8%), (E,E)-
farnesyl acetone (1.3%) and n-heptyl salicylate (1.1%) are present
in the oil of C.angustifolia. Apart from the above, Nguyen et al.
56

also reported furanodienone and isofuranodienone from the dried
rhizome of C.angustifolia Roxb.
We observed a correlation between the DPPH radical scavenging
activity of the plant extracts and their phenol contents with the
sample correlation coefficient R
2
= 0.861. A significant correlation is
also seen between curcumin content and antioxidant activity of these
Curcuma species with correlation coefficient R
2
= 0.735(Fig-3). The
results showed that the antioxidant activity in turmeric was due to
the presence of total phenol content. Consequently the antioxidant
activity of plant extracts are often explained with respect to their
total curcumin content
16,25
. In a study by Majeed
28
, the free-radical
scavenging ability of various curcuminoids were evaluated using the
DPPH (1.1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging method.
The results indicated that curcuminoids neutralize free radicals in a
dose-dependent manner. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) was the most
effective, followed by curcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. It is
suggested that the antioxidant mechanism of curcuminoids may
include one or more of the following interactions: (1) scavenging or
neutralizing of free radicals, (2) interacting with oxidative cascade
and preventing its outcome, (3) oxygen quenching and making it less
available for oxidative reactions, (4) inhibition of oxidative enzymes
like cytochrome P-450, and (5) chelating or disarming oxidative
properties of metal ions like iron (Fe). Masuda et al.
29
investigated
the antioxidant mechanism of curcumin against peroxide radicals in
the presence of ethyl linoleate as one of the polyunsaturated lipids.
They found that during the antioxidation process, curcumin reacted
with four types of linoleate peroxyl radicals to yield six reaction
products. On the basis of the formation pathway for their chemical
structures, an antioxidant mechanism of curcumin in
polyunsaturated lipids was proposed, which involved an oxidative
coupling reaction at the 3-position of the curcumin with the lipid
Rajani Kanta Sahu et al. IRJP 2011, 2 (12), 243-248
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACY, 2(12), 2011
and a subsequent intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction. The
significance of turmeric in medicine has increased considerably with
the discovery of the antioxidant properties of naturally occurring
phenolic compounds present therein. Curcumin exhibits strong
antioxidant activity
6,17,22,41,42,48
.
CONCLUSION
Over all observation indicates the presence of free radical
scavenging activity in all species (>50%), however Curcuma longa
and C.zedoaria are superior to the other three species. The activity
could be attributed to superior reducing power of both phenol and
curcumin content. Moderate antioxidant activity is possible due to
95% oil contents having major constituents camphor, curzerenone,
methyl eugenol, -muurolene, pentadecanoic acid, (E,E)-farnesyl
acetone and n-heptyl salicylate. The results indicate the higher
medicinal use of C.longa and C.zedoaria due to its rich
phytochemical contents.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors are thankful to University Grants Commission New
Delhi, for Financial Assistance in form of major research project to
one of the author (R.K.S) we are also thankful to Head of the
Department of Botany and principal B.J.B. (A) College for
providing necessary facilities for carrying out the experimental
work. Finally we are thankful to Sabitri Nahak for helping in
computer work.
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Table-1: Preliminary Phytochemical screening of Five Curcuma Species
Phytoconstituents C.longa C.aromatica C.zedoaria C.angustifolia C.amada
Alkaloids + + + + +
Carbohydrates + + + + +
Glycosides --- --- --- --- ---
Terpinoid --- --- --- --- ---
Protein & Amino acids + + + + +
Fixed oils & fats --- --- --- --- ---
Tannins --- --- --- --- ---
Saponins + + + + +
Steroids (Phytosterols) --- --- --- --- ---
Flavonoids + + + + +
Phenols + + + + +
Curcumin + + + + +
Reducing sugar --- --- --- --- ---
Anthraquinones + + + + +
+ = Denotes Present and -- = Denotes Absent

Table-2: Crude extracts, Phenol content, IC50Values, Curcumin content and Colour of Rhizomes of Curcuma Species
C.longa C.aromatica C.zedoaria C.angustifolia C.amada
Crude extracts(gm) 3.35 2.56 2.67 2.62 2.20
Phenol content(mg/ml)
285 205
195 110 50
IC50 Values(g/ml) 24 120 40 100 121
Curcumin content
(mg/100mg)
8.22 7.35 6.07 ------ 1.54
Colour of Rhizomes Yellow Creamy yellow Creamy
yellow
White Creamy yellow

Table-3: DPPH scavenging activity of Five Curcuma Species
Conc.
of extracts(g/ml)
Antioxidant activity (%)
C.longa C.zedoaria C.angustifolia C.aromatica C.amada
40 67.690.04 52.110.07 45.520.03 44.610.06 47.690.04
80 69.230.05 54.450.04 48.610.02 47.610.03 49.230.05
120 70.760.04 58.000.06 52.000.08 50.000.07 50.760.04
160 72.300.03 61.070.01 56.070.07 53.070.02 51.300.03
200 74.610.02 63.270.05 58.350.04 55.380.06 52.610.02


Figure-1: Photograph showing morphology of different Curcuma Species
Rajani Kanta Sahu et al. IRJP 2011, 2 (12), 243-248
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACY, 2(12), 2011

Figure-2: DPPH scavenging activity of Five Curcuma Species in comparison to standard Ascorbic acid




Figure-3: Correlation between Phenol content, Curcumin content and Antioxidant activity of Five Curcuma Species






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