Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, TOTAL PHENOLIC AND FLAVONOID CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF SELECTED NEPALESE PLANTS

*Sumit Bahadur Baruwal Chhetri and Deepa Khatri

ABSTRACT

Oxidative stress is associated with many of the acute and chronic diseases which have been troubling mankind. Nepal is rich in biodiversity. Several medicinal plants have been used from traditional period of times but there are no /little scientific evidences. The aim of present study was to explore the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant property, total phenolic and flavonoid content of the ten selected Nepalese plants. Different plant samples used in this study were Reinwardtia indica, Ficus clavata, Boehmeria platyphylla, Rumex nepalensis, Choerospondias axillaris, Jasminum multiflorum, Sambucus canadensis, Plumbago zeylanica, Castanopsis indica and Lindera neesiana. Extraction process was carried out by maceration method using ethanol and water as solvent. Phytochemical screening was performed by using standard methods. In vitro antioxidant activity was determined by using 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and nitric oxide radical scavenging activity. Total phenolic content was determined by using Folin-Ciocalteu method and flavonoid content was determined by using aluminium chloride colorimetric method. Results revealed that there were variation in phytochemical constituents, total phenolic content, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in ethanolic and aqueous extract. Among the different plant samples Choerospondias axillaris and Castanopsis indica showed relatively higher antioxidant, total phenolic and flavonoid content in both ethanolic and aqueous solvent.

Keywords: Antioxidant, Flavonoid, Phenolic compound, 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl.