EVALUATION AND COMPARISON OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN SPICES VIA DPPH RADICAL SCAVENGING

Abstract

Numerous chronic and degenerative illnesses are mostly influenced by oxidative stress, which is brought on by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant defence systems. Antioxidants prevent oxidative damage to biological components by providing electrons to neutralise free radicals. Because of their high concentration of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and bioactive phytochemicals, spices—which are frequently utilised in Indian food and traditional medicine—are significant sources of natural antioxidants. The current study used the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging test to assess the antioxidant activity of certain spice extracts. Elettaria cardamomum, Amomum subulatum, Cinnamomum verum, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Curcuma longa, Syzygium aromaticum, Foeniculum vulgare, Brassica nigra, Cuminum cyminum, Laurus nobilis, Capsicum annuum, Piper nigrum, Coriandrum sativum, Illicium verum, Trachyspermum ammi, Nigella sativa, and Zingiber officinale were chosen for their culinary significance. To maximise the extraction of bioactive chemicals, methanolic extracts of powdered spice samples were made and incubated. Using a UV–visible spectrophotometer, the reduction in DPPH absorbance at 517 nm was used to measure antioxidant activity, and the percentage of radical scavenging activity was calculated. The findings showed that the antioxidant activity of the spices varied noticeably. Under the experimental circumstances, the DPPH radical scavenging activity of cardamom, black cardamom, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, red chillies, and coriander seeds was higher than that of star anise, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and bay leaves. These results demonstrate the potential of widely used spices as strong natural antioxidants and support their use in nutraceutical formulations, functional foods, and dietary interventions meant to lower oxidative stress and enhance general health.