Evaluation of antioxidant activity of Cleome brachycarpa Vahl ex DC, an under-exploited desert plant of United Arab Emirates

The native plant flora of UAE is almost under-explored for their potential benefits. The cleome brachycarpa plant were grown on a nursery bed with normal watering and growth conditions for 90 days and were then harvested as a whole plant. This study was carried to evaluate the total phenolic content and in-vitro antioxidative activities of the ethanolic (80%) extract of the plant. When ethanol (80%) was used as an extraction solvent, a yield of 4% was achieved. Results showed that total phenolic content of ethanolic extract obtained from the stem (1031 mg/kg) and root (1032 mg/kg) of the plant was higher than that of leaves (1020 mg/kg) (p< 0.05). In-vitro antioxidative activity of different plant showed different activities. Leaf extract showed higher 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activities and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) compared to the extract obtained from stem and shoot. However, there was no difference in the DPPH radical scavenging activities and FRAP among the extract stem and root. The higher antioxidative activities with concomitant higher total phenolic was found in all three parts of the plant. Thus, the extract obtained from un-exploited plant of UAE was found to possess good antioxidative activity extract and could be a promising source of natural antioxidant to be applied in animal feed and as a natural food additive.