Abstract
Terminalia bellerica Roxb., commonly known as Beleric myrobalan, is a well-known large deciduous tree with various pharmaceutical properties. However, scientific information on T. bellerica, growing in India, as regards to its phytochemical constituents and pharmacological properties is very limited. With this in view, this study investigated the antioxidant, DNA protective and antibacterial activities of different parts (fruit pulp, seed and bark) of T. bellerica. Methanol (70%) and water (100% distilled water) were used for the extraction and analysis of total phenolic contents (TPC). Plant extracts were further screened for antibacterial activity against both gram (+) and gram (-) bacteria and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were calculated. Amongst the tested extracts, methanolic extract contained more TPC than aqueous extract. Methanolic fruit pulp (MEFP) showed lower IC50 (118.7 µg/ml) for free radical, (77.65 µg/ml) superoxide anion radical, (73.76 µg/ml) hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, (115.6 µg/ml) lipid peroxidation and (184.98 µg/ml) ferric thiocyanate assay. Methanolic extract also exhibited more potential DNA protective and antibacterial activity than aqueous extract. Furthermore, the correlation between TPC and antioxidant studies revealed that phenolics are mainly responsible for antioxidant, DNA protective and antibacterial activities of T. bellerica. This study suggests that the methanolic extract of T. bellerica could be a potential source of natural antioxidants. Key words: Terminalia bellerica, antioxidative, DNA protective, antibacterial.  
Highlights
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause severe damage to the cells of the body
The total phenolic contents (TPC) in methanolic and aqueous extracts of T. bellerica were in the range of 98.68 to 127.60 mg/g gallic acid equivalent (GAE) and 56.97 to 80.11 mg/g GAE (Figure 1)
This study revealed that T. bellerica possesses potent free-radical scavenging activities
Summary
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause severe damage to the cells of the body. This damage can be to the DNA, proteins and other macromolecules. Oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance between antioxidant systems and the ROS, seems to be associated with many multifactorial diseases, especially cancers, cardiovascular diseases and inflammatory disorders (Reuter et al, 2010; Balmus et al, 2016). The increase in ROS generation or decreased antioxidant availability results in a net increase in intracellular oxidative damage. The mechanism of action of many synthetic antioxidants involves free radical scavenging property, which protects against oxidative damage, but has adverse side effects (Yazdanparast and Ardestani, 2007). The synthetic antioxidant may cause cellular toxicity; the alternative is the consumption of natural antioxidants from various food
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