Capsaicin in hot chili peppers as a potent free radical scavenger: An in vitro approach

In humans, countless chronic conditions are connected with the accumulation of free radicals. Antioxidants can scavenge free radicals and reduce their effect. The hunt for natural antioxidants of plant provenance becomes an urgent primary concern. So, the present study was to investigate the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity of Capsaicin by using various in vitro assays such as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS center dot+), hydroxyl radical, superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide and reducing power. The findings from this study indicated that Capsaicin exhibited significant inhibition of free radical which was calculated as IC50 value compared with standard ascorbic acid. IC50 values of capsaicin and ascorbic acid were found to be 44.12 mu g/mL and 42.52 mu g/mL in DPPH radical assay, 39.89 mu g/mL and 37.75 mu g/mL in ABTS center dot+ radical assay, 43.65 mu g/mL and 48.33 mu g/mL in hydroxyl radical assay, 39.79 mu g/mL and 42.16 mu g/mL in superoxide anion radical assay, 31.37 mu g/mL and 30.90 mu g/mL in hydrogen peroxide radical assay, 43.30 mu g/mL and 42.45 mu g/mL in nitric oxide radical assay and 39.33 mu g/mL and 38.79 mu g/mL in reducing power assay respectively. Therefore, capsaicin might be a good plant-based pharmaceutical product recommended as a potential antioxidant for various oxidative degenerative diseases and often serve as an effective radical scavenger or blocker.