B.V. Sumalatha

The Antioxidant potential of ethanol extract as well as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous soluble fractions of Tephrosia purpurea (Linn.) Pers., which is widely used in indigenous system of medicine for different purposes. The ethanol extract as well as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous soluble fraction were analysed for total phenolics content, total flavonoid content and free radical scavenging activity using DPPH (1,1- diphenyl- 2- picryl hydrazyl) radical. The ethanol extract was found more effective than four different fractions of ethanol extract of Tephrosia purpurea. Total phenolics content and total flavonoid content are found to be highest in ethyl acetate fraction and least in petroleum ether and more or less similar in aqueous and chloroform fractions. In general, the results indicate that the ethanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction are rich in phenolic content and flavonoid content with potent free radical scavenging activity implying their importance to human health. Key Words: Antioxidant, Tephrosia purpurea, DPPH.