Abstract
Biological evaluation of Lantana camara and Justicia adhatoda, belonging to the medicinal plant families Verbenaceae and Acanthaceae, respectively, was performed. Both plants contain a very good range of phenolic compounds (20.5 +/- 1.9-80 +/- 9 4.1 mg GAE/g of dry extract). HPLC analysis of Justicia adhatoda flower and fruit extract showed a broad profile of phenolic acids such as p-hydroxy benzoic acid, syringic acid, gallic acid, and quercetin in substantial amounts. The antioxidant study showed moderate to good ability to inhibit linoleic acid peroxidation and to scavenge DPPH free radicals (67.5 +/- 4.7 to 80.4 +/- 3.0% and 71.3 +/- 3.8 to 85.9 +/- 2.0%, respectively). The antibacterial study reflected good antibacterial potential. This study showed that extracts of flowers and fruits of both plants grown in Soon Skaser Valley, Pakistan have a strong potential to scavenge free radicals and may be used to develop functional food and herbal medicines to treat oxidative stress diseases and bacterial infections.