Antioxidant potential of Ocimum sanctum under growth regulator treatments

In this study, Ocimum sanctum plants were treated with paclobutrazol (PBZ) and Abscissic acid (ABA) to analyze the changes in the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant responses. Nonenzymatic antioxidants like ascorbic acid decreased in the ABA treated plants. But it increased in the PBZ treated plants. Although both PBZ and ABA treatments considerably increased the -tocopherol content, it was more in the PBZ treated plants. Enzymatic antioxidants like ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were also increased by the treatments. Catalase activity was increased by both growth regulators to a significant extent when compared with the control plants. In conclusion, our results indicated that the PBZ and ABA applications at low concentrations could be used as potential tools to increase defense mechanisms in medicinal plants.