ABSTRACT
The antiradical scavenging activity of different extracts of Castanospermum australe would be related to the nature of phenolics, thus contributing to their electron transfer/hydrogen donating ability. The total antioxidant activity of Castanospermum australe extracts with a higher phenolic content seems to be efficient for functioning as potential nutraceuticals or antioxidants when they are ingested along with nutrients. The genus Castanospermum belongs to the family Fabaceae and has only one species, Castanospermum australe, commonly referred to as the black bean or the Moreton Bay chestnut. The powdered plant materials such as leaves, bark and seeds were also packed in small thimbles and separately extracted successively with organic solvents such as petroleum ether, benzene and ethanol in the increasing order of their polarity using a Soxhlet apparatus. The yield percentage in petroleum ether and benzene for all the used parts was found to be very low compared to polar solvents.
