Antioxidant activities of lichen metabolites developed in vitro

The crude extract contains many compounds along with the various lichen metabolites and it is very difficult to say which compound(s) has the antioxidant potential unless and until it is purified. In the previous Chapter 3 & 4 the biological activities of Usnea ghattensis attributed to the crude extract containing usnic acid and norstictic acid have been presented. In order to know the antioxidant properties of lichen metabolites of the remaining cultured lichen species Arthothelium awasthii (producing barbatic acid), Heterodermia podocarpa (producing atranorin and zeorin), Parmotrema tinctorum (producing atranorin and lecanoric acid) have been fractionated, the lichen metabolites were partially purified and their antioxidant activities were evaluated and are presented below.