Traditional antidiabetic drugs are in use by a majority of patients having type II diabetes, due to their belief in traditional medicines. Here, we report the additional benefits of using such traditional plants in the diabetes therapy, so that these locally available medicines are promoted over synthetic drugs. Ten medicinal plants were chosen for the study, selected based on the traditional knowledge. The plant parts were extracted with water, methanol, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether. Antioxidant activity was determined by analyzing the potential of these extracts to scavenge superoxide, hydroxyl, nitrate, peroxide and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals, under in vitro conditions as compared to the positive control; ascorbic acid (4 mg ml-1 ). Highest antioxidant activity was shown by extracts of Gymnema sylvestre, followed by Withania somnifera against all free radicals tested.