Gymnostachyum febrifugum an ethnomedicinal plant of Acanthaceae family is used to treat fever, ulcer and metrorrhagia. The current study aimed to determine the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic potential of phytochemicals from methanolic leaf and root extracts of G. febrifugum. In addition, a preliminary phytochemical analysis was carried out using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The study revealed significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of methanolic extracts of G. febrifugum roots compared to that of leaves. Also, a moderate in vitro cytotoxic effect of the root methanolic extracts was observed against human lung cancer cells. LC-MS analysis of the methanolic extract of root revealed the presence of 11 phytochemicals belonging to classes of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids and sugars, of which esculin, 6,7,10-trihydroxy-8-octadecenoic acid, piperlongumine, ardisiacrispin B and berbamine were detected in high abundance. Probably, these phytochemicals were responsible for the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic potential of G. febrifugum. However further research on isolation and identification of active compounds is necessary to confirm these results.
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