Pharmacognostic Evaluation and Antioxidant Activity of Urtica Dioica L.

The study evaluated Urtica dioica (stinging nettle) for its pharmacognostic properties and antioxidant activity, traditionally used for ailments like hair loss. It involved various analyses, including DPPH free radical scavenging, where the hydroalcoholic extract showed positive antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 88.33 µg/ml, compared to 2.8 µg/ml for ascorbic acid. Ferulic acid, a potential antioxidant, was identified in the extract through HPTLC analysis. The study concluded that U. dioica could be a natural antioxidant source for medicinal use, potentially replacing synthetic antioxidants in foods and cosmetics, though further research was needed to identify all active chemical constituents.