Clinical observations made over the years have discovered that the many antioxidant compounds naturally occurring in plant sources which have been identified as free radicals or active oxygen scavengers play a significant role in prevention and cure of coronary heart diseases. It has been shown that phenolic substances present in plants have major contribution for their antioxidant activity.
These herbal formulations are prepared using a mixture of plant materials according to traditional formulae. The therapeutic benefit of these medicinal preparations is often attributed to their antioxidant properties.
Studies on the phytochemical and antioxidant activity of Aquilaria malaccensis leaves extract suggests that its phenolic substances which are flavanoids present in this species might provide a great value of antioxidant activity. The extracts exhibited strong antioxidant activity radical scavenging activity with IC50 value of 8.0 × 102 μg/ml, 1.6 × 102 μg/ml, 1.4 × 102 μg/ml, 30.0 μg/ml and 3.33 μg/ ml for hexane, DCM, ethyl acetate, methanol and quarcetine respectively.
Because of its astringent nature (which helps to make your skin less oily and make cuts stop bleeding), the leaves extract provide an effective skin tonic and is recommended by Ayurvedic physicians as an application for restoring pigment in leucoderma. This natural occurring antioxidant also provides an antiseptic so gentle it is used for ear and eye infections as well as on open wounds.
Genkwanin Glycosides found in Aquilaria malaccensis leaves extract are molecules in which a sugar is bound to a non-carbohydrate moiety, usually a small organic molecule. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. These can be activated by enzyme hydrolysis which causes the sugar part to be broken off, making the chemical available for use. Many such plant glycosides are used as medications. In animals (including humans), poisons (and other hazardous substances) are often bound to sugar molecules as part of their elimination from the body. Among the important effects of flavonoids, they are also known to decrease capillary fragility.
