Abstract

PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDY, ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY AND ANTICANCER EFFECTS OF ONION AND GINGER EXTRACTS

K. Kavya*, R. Ragunathan and Jesteena Johney

ABSTRACT

Modern medical science is increasingly interested in using plants instead of traditional medications due to their powerful bioactive phytochemical components and little toxicological effects on animal health care. Onion and ginger are highly valued for their therapeutic properties. In this study, total phenol content, antioxidant, H2O2 and SOD activity of extracts was determined spectrophotometrically. Ginger extract shows high TPC, H2O2 and SOD activities, and the highest antioxidant activity was shown by an ethanolic extract of Allium cepa. Further, the antimicrobial potential was determined by using the agar well diffusion method, and the results displayed considerable antimicrobial activity. The FTIR result showed the presence of functional biomolecules such as alcohol OH groups, alkene C=C, C-O-C, C-OH, P=O, and C-Br in aqueous extract of Zingiber officinale. The anticancer study against HeLa cell line was determined by cell viability (MTT) assay. The results indicated that ginger aqueous extract significantly inhibit the growth of HeLa cell lines with increasing concentration.

Keywords: Allium cepa, Zingiber officinale, ethanol, antimicrobial activity, HeLa cell line, MTT.