The effects of alcoholic extract of Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna Wight & Arn.) bark on stability of clarified butterfat
Keywords:
Arjuna, ghee, antioxidant and radical scavenging activity,, phytosterol content, oxidative stability.Abstract
Potential of ethanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna Wight & Arn bark to enhanced the shelf life and anti
oxidant ability of clarified butterfat (ghee) was evaluated using accelerated oxidation tests. Seven
percent by weight of ethanolic extract of T. arjuna Wight & Arn bark was effective in retarding the auto
oxidation of both cow and buffalo ghee during storage. It had significant (P<0.05) ability to enhance the
antioxidant potential of ghee in terms of its radical scavenging activity. It also improved phytosterol,
content in ghee. Shelf life of the Arjuna ghee samples was 8 days at 80±1°C as compared 2 days in the
control. Findings suggested that ethanolic extract of T. arjuna Wight & Arn could be used as a natural
antioxidant and enhancing the phytosterol content in ghee. Freshly prepared cow milk Arjuna ghee
possesses good potential to act as free radical scavenger and thus could help in prevention of many
free radical related disorders.
