Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

A Protocol for Detecting and Scavenging Gas-phase Free Radicals in Mainstream Cigarette Smoke
Published on: January 2, 2012
Free radical scavenging potential of Saussarea costus
Madan Mohan Pandey1, Raghavan Govindarajan, Ajay Kumar Singh Rawat
1Pharmacognosy and Ethnopharmacology Division, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow-226 001, India.
Abstract:
Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipschitz from the family Asteraceae is an important medicinal drug, the roots of which are widely used in folk medicine. The antioxidant activity of the plant has been studied using its ability to scavenge DPPH, nitric oxide, superoxide radicals along with its ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation and GSH oxidation. The 1 mg mL(-1) extract had antioxidant activity with 85.2% reduction of DPPH and a 72.7% decrease in lipid peroxidation. It showed maximum inhibition of superoxide radical of 66.0%, and 58.4% inhibition of nitric oxide formation. The concentration of chlorogenic acid was 0.027% in the extract of S. costus. Thus, the therapeutic activity of the plant may be due to its antioxidant activity, probably as a result of the presence of chlorogenic acid.
Related Concept Videos
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy: Organic Radicals
Radical Reactivity: Electrophilic Radicals
Radical Reactivity: Nucleophilic Radicals
Radicals: Electronic Structure and Geometry
Accordingly, the structure of a trivalent radical lies between the geometries of carbocations and carbanions. An sp2-hybridized carbocation is trigonal planar, while an sp3-hybridized carbanion is trigonal pyramidal. Here, the difference in geometry is...
Radical Reactivity: Steric Effects
Along with electronic factors, steric factors also account...
