The genus Phyllanthus comprises several medicinally important plant species recognized for their diverse phy-tochemical constitute and wide- ranging therapeutic application. Phyllanthus acidus and Phyllanthus maderaspatensis are naturally distributed in the biodiversity-rich regions of South Odisha, India, but are relatively underexplored traditionally used by indigenous communities. Oxidative stress caused by excess free radicals contributes significantly to the development of many chronic diseases. Antioxidants, especially plant-derived phenolics and flavonoids, neutralize these radicals and are considered safer alternatives to synthetic antioxidant. However, scientific evidence on the phytochemical composition and antioxidant potential of the root extracts of these two species remains limited. The present study aimed to investigate the qualitative phytochemical profile and in-vitro antioxidant activity of root extracts of P. acidus and P. maderaspatensis collected from South Odisha, India. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, terpenoids, carbohydrates, glycosides, and steroids in both species, with notable variation in their abundance. The methanolic root extract of P. acidus exhibited a comparatively richer phytochemical profile, showing strong presence (+++) of tannins and phenols and the presence of polysterols, which were absent in P. maderaspatensis. Proteins were not detected in either extract. Antioxidant activity evaluated using the DPPH free radical scavenging assay indicated strong activity for P. acidus (IC₅₀ = 26.78 ± 0.085 µg/ml), whereas P. maderaspatensis showed moderate activity (IC₅₀= 175.2 ± 0.039 µg/ml). Ascorbic acid exhibited a significantly lower I IC₅₀ value, reflecting its standard antioxidant potency. The study demonstrates that Phyllanthus acidus exhibits superior antioxidant ac-tivity compared to P. maderaspatensis, likely due to its higher phenolic and tannin content. These findings pro-vide scientific support for traditional uses and highlight the potential of Phyllanthus species from South Odisha, India, as promising natural sources of antioxidant compounds and warrants further pharmacological investigation.

Phyllanthus acidus, Phyllanthus maderaspatensis, Phytochemical Screening, DPPH Assay, Antioxidant Activity