Abstract
Medicinal plants are the potent source of biologically active compounds and have always been of field of interest for the effective chemotherapeutic agents and offering a broad spectrum of activity with greater emphasis on preventive action. The objective of this study was to screen the phytochemicals, estimate the content of phenolic, flavonoids and alkaloids compounds and determines the antioxidant capacity of the rhizomes of Kaempferia galanga Linn, Kaempferia parviflora and Kaempferia pulchra (K. galanga, K. parviflora and K, pulchra, Zingiberaceae). Qualitative analysis of various phytochemical constituents and quantitative analysis of total phenol, flavonoids and alkaloids were determined by the well-known test protocol available in the literature. The ethanolic extract of rhizomes of K. galanga, K. parviflora and K, pulchra was studied for antioxidant activity on different in vitro models namely 1,1-diphenyl, 2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and Nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging method. Phytochemical analysis of ethanolic extract of all three plants revealed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, phenolics, carbohydrate, and tannin. The total phenolic, flavonoids and alkaloids content of ethanolic extract of K. galanga, K. parviflora and K, pulchra rhizomes were 0.813, 1.146; 1.047, 1.237, 0.285; 0.755, 0.822, 0.975/100mg respectively. All extracts showed dose dependent free radical scavenging property in the tested models, which was comparable to that of ascorbic acid. The present study concluded that the crude extract of K. galanga, K. parviflora and K, pulchra rhizomes is a rich source of secondary phytoconstituents which impart significant antioxidant potential. It is expected that the important phytochemical properties recognized by our study in the indigenous medicinal plants will be very useful in the curing of various diseases when taken along with our food.
Highlights
Herbal medicines have become more popular in the treatment of any diseases due to the popular belief that green medicine is safe, available and with fewer side effects
The yield of extracts obtained from the rhizomes of K. galanga, K. parviflora and K, pulchra using chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol and water as solvents are depicted in the Table 1
Total phenolic compounds (TPC) was expressed as mg/100mg of gallic acid equivalent of dry extract sample using the equation obtained from the calibration curve: Y = 0.011X+0.011, R2= 0.998, where X is the gallic acid equivalent (GAE) and Y is the absorbance
Summary
Herbal medicines have become more popular in the treatment of any diseases due to the popular belief that green medicine is safe, available and with fewer side effects. In India, it is cultivated mainly in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and West Bengal [15] The rhizomes of this plant are widely used in East Asia for a wide range of traditional and modern medicinal applications. The rhizomes contain alkaloid, starch, gum, fatty matter with a fragrant essential oil [16] Pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory and analgesic, antidiarrhoeal, nematicidal, mosquito repellent and larvicidal, vasorelaxant, sedative, antineoplastic, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant and cytotoxic activity has been reported [17]. Despite the immense ethno-medicinal properties attributed to K. galanga, K. parviflora and K, pulchra, the reported phyto-pharmacological study on variety levels of these plants is relatively infrequent to the best of our knowledge. The present study was aimed to evaluate and compare antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extracts of K. galanga, K. parviflora and K, pulchra, by using classical in-vitro assays for the purpose of validating its ethno medicinal use
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