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Nyctanthes arbor-tristis （Harshingar, Parijat） belongs to the family Oleaceae. The flower has white petals with an orange calyx. Nyctanthes stems have been found to be a rich source of antioxidant. The aqueous extracts of the flower, calyx and petals were evaluated and found to be dose-dependent and showed an increase in DPPH free radical scavenging activity in vitro. The extracts, which showed strong DPPH radical scavenging activity, are in the order Calyx flower petals. This signifies that the main antioxidant activity is in the orange colored calyx of the flower. We have attempted an innovative study with the Nyctanthes flower as a part of an exploration for a cheap natural source of antioxidants which can be used at the industrial scale of the food industry.
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