Isolation of chemical constituents and In-Vitro screening of Plectranthus mollis Spreng for anthelmintic activity

Abstract

The human being are the most affected with diseases than any other animal species. For a long time, almost all the medicines were extracted from plants and, many herbal drugs were used by different civilization and many of them are still used. Tannins and flavonoids are the chemical constituents in the plants that produces the anti-helminthic activity. In traditional medicine, Plectranthus mollis has been used against snakebites, respiratory stimulant and cure for hemorrhage, antimicrobial, treatment of mental retardation and rheumatism. Moreover, Plectranthus mollis is reported to have a high content of tannins and flavonoids. Depending on this, helminthic activity were proposed.Dried aerial parts of the hydroalcoholic extract of Plectranthus mollis are subjected to preliminary tests for the identification of various active constituents present in the extract. Estimation of total phenolic content were determined calorimetrically using Folin-Ciocalteu method and total flavonoid content were determined by aluminum chloride colorimetric technique for the hydroalcoholic extract of Plectranthus mollis. The antioxidant activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of the plantwere carried out by DPPH radical scavenging assay. The anthelmintic activity of dried aerial parts of the hydroalcoholic extract of Plectranthus mollis are evaluated on adult Pheretima Posthuma (Indian earthworm).The chemical compound present in dried aerial parts of hydroalcoholic extract of Plectranthus mollis were isolatedby flash chromatography. The isolated compound were detected by HPTLC technique and confirmed by GC-MS analysis.