Abstract
Methanol and dichloromethane extracts of root, stem, leaves and flowers of invasive plant Austroeupatorium inulifolium were tested for cytotoxic, phytotoxic, antioxidant and antifungal activities. Significantly higher phytotoxicity was detected in methanol extracts of leaves and dichloromethane extracts of roots. This effect was most pronounced against amaranth seeds where the seed germination was reduced to 3.74 % with the addition of methanol extracts of leaves at 3000 mg/L. The dichloromethane extract of roots of A. inulifolium showed potent antifungal activity against Cladosporium cladosporioides. Cytotoxic activity was found in dichloromethane extract of roots (LD50 = 27.91 ± 8.55 mg/L), methanol extract of flowers (LD50 = 15.22±7.89 mg/L) and leaves (LD50 = 22.92±11.76 mg/L) against Artemia salina (brine shrimp) larvae. The results also revealed significant antioxidant activity in methanol extract of leaves (IC50 =33.66± 0.03 mg/L) against the reference α-tocopherol (IC50 =10.02 ± 0.01 mg/L).
Highlights
Plants have co-evolved with their respective environments for millions of years
Extraction of potential bioactive compounds Plant samples were collected from Riverston area in the Knuckles Forest Reserve (KFR) in the central of Sri Lanka
The results suggest that A. inulifolium contained phytotoxic, cytotoxic and antifungal activities
Summary
Plants have co-evolved with their respective environments for millions of years. During this process, secondary metabolites played a critical role in plants’ adaptations to insect and microbial attacks and climatic conditions. Plant metabolites with various bioactivities including phytotoxic and antioxidant activities allow plants to live in a state of equilibrium with the environment. Some plant species use these bioactivities to transform themselves into noxious weeds. Of the 3,154 flowering plants, about 894 (28 %) species are endemic to the island, some carrying varying levels of biological activity (Wijesundara et al, 2012; Bandara et al, 1989a; Bandara et al, 1990a; Hewage et al, 1997; Hewage et al, 1998).
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