Ophiorrhiza jacobii, is a therapeutically less explored species, belonging to the family Rubiaceae and endemic
to the Western Ghats. The present study was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant potential and chemical
composition of the methanolic extract of the plant Ophiorrhiza jacobii using various in vitro methods and
gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis respectively. Phytochemical screening of the extract
revealed the presence of numerous bioactive secondary metabolites like phenols, terpenoids, sterols and
tannins that might contribute to the medicinal properties of the plant. The maximum percentage inhibition
obtained in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, nitric oxide and superoxide radical scavenging assays
were 72.01 %±0.79 %, 70.24 %±0.90 %, 67.37 %±1.20 % and 76.00 %±1.07 % respectively. In all the
assays, a dose-dependent increase in free radical scavenging activity was exhibited by the plant extract and
the percentage inhibition of the radicals showed that the plant possesses significant antioxidant capacity.
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed several antioxidant compounds like phytol,
vitamin E, stigmasterol, solanesol and n-hexadecanoic acid suggesting that the plant can be a potential
source of natural antioxidant to treat various ailments related to oxidative stress. Till date, no literature
is available on the evaluation of the medicinal properties of Ophiorrhiza jacobii and this study forms the
first report on the antioxidant potential and chemical composition of the plant. The presence of terpenoids,
phytosterols, terpene alcohols, fatty acids and their esters, also suggests that the plant can be a novel source
for the development of new therapeutic agents to treat various health disorders.