Abstract

Bark powder aqueous extract of Terminalia arjuna (AETA) has been used for quantification of phytochemical
constituents viz., total phenolic, flavonoid and tannin contents (1120 mg/g gallic acid equivalents, 104 mg/g
rutin equivalents, and 0.296 mg/g respectively). High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the
extract revealed the presence of specific phenolic compounds like β-sitosterol, catechin, rutin, and tannic acid.
Antioxidant activity of the extract was determined by employing in vitro assays such as hydrogen peroxide,
nitric oxide, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and total reductive ability. The results
were encouraging and comparable to standard antioxidants like Butylated hydroxyanisole/ascorbic acid. Plant
extract exhibited a strong anti-hemolytic activity against free radical (H2O2) induced erythrocyte damage, which
is a significant observation paving way for expanding its applications in treating many free radical induced
pathophysiological conditions in humans.