Investigation of In Vitro antioxidant properties of Marsilea Minuta plant extract

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the ethanol extract of Marsilea minuta, commonly referred to as dwarf waterclover, an aquatic fern belonging to the Marsileaceae family. Antioxidant activity was assessed using the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) scavenging activity and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) tests. The results indicated that Marsilea minuta had a higher IC₅₀ value (305.42 μg/mL) compared to the standard, ascorbic acid (229.64 μg/mL), suggesting that a higher concentration of the extract was required to achieve comparable antioxidant activity. In the TAC assay, the extract demonstrated a strong antioxidant capacity of 105.67 mg ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE) per gram of dry extract at the concentration of 1200 μg/mL. Furthermore, the concentration-dependent absorbance analysis revealed a steeper calibration curve for Marsilea minuta than for the ascorbic acid standard, indicating a stronger dose-response relationship. These findings highlight the considerable antioxidant potential of Marsilea minuta, supporting its prospective use in the treatment of oxidative stress-induced diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, etc.