A comprehensive review on medicinal plants possessing antioxidant potential

• Published in: Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology 2023-03, Vol.50 (3), p.205-217
• Main Authors: Zafar, Farah, Asif, Hafiz Muhammad, Shaheen, Ghazala, Ghauri, Aymen Owais, Rajpoot, Sehrish Rana, Tasleem, Muhammad Wasim, Shamim, Tahira, Hadi, Faheem, Noor, Raessa, Ali, Tanveer, Gulzar, Muhammad Nauman, Nazar, Halima
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Bark; BHA; Butylated hydroxyanisole; Butylated Hydroxyanisole - adverse effects; Butylated hydroxytoluene; Butylated Hydroxytoluene - adverse effects; Cardiovascular diseases; Food additives; Herbal medicine; Inflammation; Medicinal plants; Oxidative stress; Plant species; Plants (botany); Plants, Medicinal; Preservatives; reactive oxygen species; Seeds; Side effects; sources of antioxidants
• ISSN: 0305-1870; 1440-1681
• DOI: 10.1111/1440-1681.13743

Many research studies have proposed that about two‐thirds of the medicinal plant species of the world possess significant antioxidant potential. Antioxidants are very beneficial as they decrease oxidative stress (OS) in cells and hence play their role in management as well as treatment of numerous diseases like cancers, cardiovascular diseases, as well as many inflammatory illnesses. This review comprises the antioxidant potential of numerous parts of medicinal plants like leaves, stems, roots, seeds, fruits, as well as bark. Synthetic antioxidants named butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) as well as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are extensively employed in foods because of their role as food preservatives. Several natural antioxidants have better efficacy as compared to synthetic antioxidants. These medicinal plants include Geranium sanguineum L., Rheum ribes L., Diospyros abyssinica, Sargentodoxa cuneata Rehd. Et Wils, Pistacia lentiscus, Ficus microcarpa L. fil., Polyalthia cerasoides (Roxb.) Bedd, Cunn, Teucrium polium L., Crataeva nurvala Buch‐Ham., Urtica dioica L., Dracocephalum moldavica L., Momordica Charantia L., Acacia auriculiformis A., Bidens pilosa Linn. The Lamiaceae species, Radiata, Leea indica, Pelargonium endlicherianum, Salvia officinalis L., and Uncaria tomentosa (Willd.) DC. The literature study disclosed more side effects of synthetic antioxidants (including food additives) in comparison with natural antioxidants and for prevention of many diseases. Exogenous Antioxidants like vitamin C, A, E, Glutathione, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Catalase etc. inhibit production of free radicles and scavenge reactive oxygen species when endogenous Antioxidants defense mechanism decreases and ultimately give protection from many diseases.