Antioxidant activities of the ethanol (90%) extract of seeds of Lawsonia inermis L., as well as chloroform, ethyl acetate and water fractions extracted from the 90% ethanol extract were examined by a DPPH free radical scavenging and ferric reducing power (FRPA) as Non-site specific assays and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) as site specific assay. The 90% ethanol extract and its fractions along with the reference samples, gallic acid and rutin were further analysed to determine their total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteu’s method and total flavonoids content by Aluminium chloride method. In Non-site specific assays showed significant scavenging activity for the ethanol (90%) extract and its other fractions. Site-specific lipid peroxidation also confirms the peroxyl radical scavenging capacity of ethyl acetate fraction of ethanol extract and results were compared with standard antioxidant (Butyl hydroxy toluene). In general, the ethyl acetate fraction of the ethanol extract showed significant (P < 0.05) activity in all systems, such results might be attributed to the prominent antioxidant effect. The antioxidant activities of all the tested samples were concentration dependent. Based on the results obtained, we can conclude that the L. inermis seeds extract and its fractions may be valuable natural antioxidant sources and are potentially applicable in both medicine and the healthy food industry.
