Abstract
Cocos nucifera (L.) (Arecaceae) is commonly called the ‘‘coconut tree’’ and is the most naturally widespread fruit plant on Earth. Throughout history, humans have used medicinal plants therapeutically, and minerals, plants, and animals have traditionally been the main sources of drugs. The objective in the present study was to screen the phytochemical profile and pharmacological activities of methanolic extract of coconut leaves. To investigate pharmacological activities DPPH scavenging assay and HRBC membrane stabilization methods were performed for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential respectively. The phytochemical analysis of methanolic extract of coconut leaves showed that they contained significant presence of flavonoids, phenols , saponins, terpenoids and triterpenes. Alkaloids, glycosides and tannins are also moderately present. Quantitative evaluations show significant presence of phenols which was more than tannin content. The pharmacological studies revealed that the plant extracts may have significant antioxidant effect which is probably mediated by inhibition of DPPH free radical. The IC50 values by DPPH scavenging assay observed for standard and leaves were 97.29µg/ml and 486.78µg/ml respectively. Thus, this plant extracts have significant antioxidant effect. It also had moderate anti-inflammatory activity. The IC50 values for anti-inflammatory activity by standard and coconut leaves were 21.46 µg/ml and 831.21 µg/ml respectively. These findings suggest that Cocos nucifera (L.) may be a possible source for the development of a newanti-inflammatory drug.
Highlights
Anti oxidant activity The free radical-scavenging activity of extracts was evaluated with the diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) assay based on the measurement of the reducing ability of antioxidants toward the DPPH radical[17,18]
It is observed that in Comparative % inhibition of protein denaturation, the Cocosnucifera leaves under the study of methanolic extract from 1.56±0.5% to 53.53±0.48% has shown moderate inhibition of protein denaturation at any concentration compared to the standard drug Diclofenac Sodium from 79.51±0.46% to 93.47± 0.19%. It revealed that the plant extracts may have moderate anti-inflammatory effect which is probably mediated by HRBC membrane stabilization
The antioxidant potential of the methanolic extract was determined on the basis of their scavenging activity of the stable 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical
Summary
Plants, which have one or more of its parts having substances that can be used for treatment of diseases, are called medicinal plants[1]. Medicines derived from plants are widely famous due to their safety, easy availability and low cost[2]. Plants have formed the basis of sophisticated traditional medicine systems that have been in existence for thousands of years and continue to provide mankind with new remedies. Some of the therapeutic properties attributed to plants have proven to be erroneous, medicinal plant therapy is based on the empirical findings of hundreds and probably thousands of years of use. A drug (methoxypsoralen) has been produced from this plant to treat psoriasis and other skin disorders, as well as T-cell lymphoma[6]. The interest in nature as a source of potential chemotherapeutic agents continues. In the last 40 years, many potent drugs have been derived from flowering plants; including for example. Cassia sp. and a cardiotonic agent to treat heart failure from Digitalis species[8]
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