SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE ACTIVITIY IN PLANT LEAVES AND ITS ISOLATION FROM Pennisetum purpureum SCHUMACH

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of leaves of 18 plants growing in South China Agricultural University were determined and reported in this paper. The leaves of 5 plants, Plumeria rubra cv. acutifolia, Magnolia denudata, Passiflora edulis,Bauhinia variegata and Pennisetum purpureum , had higher activity,above 400 units/g fresh weight.SOD was partially purified from Pennisetum purpureum leaves by heat treatment,(NH 4) 2SO 4 precipitation,and DEAE- cellulose chromatography,and its properties studied.