Ageing is the inevitable truth of the life being a natural process. Effects of free radicals may cause premature ageing which is an unnatural process. To avoid or reduce effects of free radicals body needs antioxidants as a body protector. Synthetic antioxidants like Vitamin A, Selenium are often used by community while antioxidants of natural origin are not so commonly used. Medicinal plants mentioned in Ayurved as a Rasayan may have antioxidant activity. Of which few are studied & many are still awaited to be researched on modern parameters like Vatsanabh. The aim of the study was to obtain antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of Vatsanabh rootusing FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) method. Three samples of Vatsanabhroots (Aconitum ferox Wall ex Seringe.) i.e. Crude or Ashuddha Vatsanabh, Vatsanabh processed in Cow's Urine and Vatsanabh processed in Cow's Milk were extracted using soxhlet method by methanol 50%. The absorbance was measured with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 700 nm and the total value of antioxidant activity was calculated based on the data absorbance. The results showed that all three extracts showed antioxidant capacity while Shodhit Vatsanabh (in cow urine) have the maximum antioxidant capacity in mmol/100gm equivalent of Ascorbic acid with the value as 739.
