Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Year: 2026, Volume: 25, Issue: 4, Pages: 239-245
Original Article
P M Vasanth1*, Lakshmi Durga Gatla1, Divya Nussam1, Suma Bathala1, Dinesh Karani1
1SVU College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
*Corresponding Author
Email: [email protected]
Oxidative stress and inflammatory mechanisms are significant causes in the development of migraine, a crippling neurological condition. Herbal drugs with antioxidant properties are being studied more and more as possible supplemental treatments because they are safe and work on multiple targets. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) has been used for a long time to cure migraines, but pharmaceutical standards necessitate a full evaluation of its phytochemical stability and antioxidant efficiency. This study examined the phytochemical contents, stability profile, and in vitro antioxidant activity of feverfew leaf ethanolic extract. The dried feverfew leaves were macerated in ethanol, and then the extract was concentrated. Qualitative phytochemical screening and organoleptic analysis were done to find the key bioactive components. Stability studies are performed to assess the impact of humidity and temperature on phytochemical integrity under storage conditions recommended by the ICH and WHO. The DPPH free radical scavenging assay was applied to measure antioxidant activity, and ascorbic acid was used as the reference standard. Phytochemical study of the ethanolic extract found sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, phenolic acids, volatile oils, sterols, tannins, alkaloids, and glycosides. Stability tests showed that phytochemical stability can only be maintained in controlled storage conditions. When compared to ascorbic acid, the extract had a low anti-oxidant capacity and DPPH radical scavenging activity that depended on the concentration. The antioxidant effect is due to the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids that can neutralise free radicals. The results indicate feverfew ethanolic extract has strong antioxidant activity and stable phytochemical constituents, which supports its pharmaceutical significance in the development of herbal formulations for migraine prevention.
Keywords: Tanacetum parthenium; Feverfew; Antioxidant activity; DPPH assay; Phytochemical stability; Migraine
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© 2026 Published by Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
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