Abstract

ELUCIDATING THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF A THERAPEUTICALLY IMPORTANT AND ENDANGERED ORCHID, AERIDES MULTIFLORA ROXB. FROM NORTHWESTERN HIMALAYAS

Shilpa Sharma and Promila Pathak*

ABSTRACT

The present investigation was carried out with an objective to determine the total phenolics and flavonoids, and antioxidant activity and further the characterization of the bioactive phytochemical constituents in a therapeutically important orchid, Aerides multiflora using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. Ethanolic leaf extract was found to contain the highest total phenolics and the highest total flavonoids with a value of 88.92±0.014 mg gallic acid equivalent per g dry weight and 101.13±0.02 mg rutin equivalent per g dry weight, respectively. The antioxidant activity of leaf and root was evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay. The major compounds identified from GC-MS analysis were Octadecanoic acid, Lidocaine, n-Hexadecanoic acid, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid(Z,Z)-, Tetrapentacontane, Stigmasterol etc. The present study aimed to investigate the phytochemical profile of this orchid; identify a range of bioactive compounds through GC-MS analysis; pharmacological activities of these compounds demonstrating its potential as a source for novel drug development.

Keywords: Phytochemical, Flavonoid, Phenol, Alkaloids, Therapeutic, Secondary metabolites.