A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF ZIZIPHUS AND COLOCYNTH FROM SAUDI ARABIA DESERTS AND PROPOSED PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

Abstract

Excess free radicals production plays a significant role in causing many chronic and degenerative diseases. Antioxidants can protect the human body from various ailments by scavenging free radicals or by accelerating their decomposition. This research work evaluated the antioxidant content of methanolic extracts of Ziziphus spina–christi leaves, Citrullus colocynthis fruits and seeds by UV-spectrophotometry. The affordability and accessibility of these two plants in Saudi Arabian deserts have made them widely used by Saudi population for many different medical conditions. The analysis showed profound concentrations of antioxidant compounds in these extracts and thus prove their abilities as free radical scavengers. Colocynth seeds extracts showed the most flavonoid content. Ziziphus leaves extracts proved to have the highest phenolic content with utmost antioxidant activities (93.6 %) that overweigh that of standard ascorbic acid (87.4%). The extracts of the studied indigenous plants have been formulated in oral and topical pharmaceutical dosage forms with the appropriate antioxidant doses that are beyond toxicity levels.