Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, BIOACTIVE COMPOUND IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIOXIDANT ANALYSIS OF ACHYRANTHES ASPERA

Anitha C.*, Soumya J. D. and Mary Litta Rose A.

ABSTRACT

Background- In this world, the nature has been a source of medicinal agents from thousands of years and an impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources. The present study was intended to screen various phytochemicals, antibacterial, antilarval, anthelminthic and antioxidant activity of Achyranthes aspera and separation of bioactive compounds by thin layer chromatography. Objective: The collected plant was subjected to screen phytochemical, antibacterial activity, antilarval, anthelminthic and antioxidant activity. Separations of bioactive compounds were done by thin layer chromatography. Leaf extracts of Achyranthes aspera was prepared using methanol, ethanol and hexane. Materials and methods: The antibacterial activity was carried out by disc diffusion method. Antilarval and anthelminthic activity was carried out. Antioxidant was carried out by diphenyl picrylhydrazyl method. Separations of bioactive compounds were separated by thin layer chromatography. Results: Leaf of Achyranthes aspera was successively extracted with methanol and hexane. Phytochemical screening of Achyranthes aspera shows the presence of various bioactive compounds such as tannin, terpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, glycosides, carotenoids, reducing sugar, saponins, flavanoids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides and quinines and absence of phenol. Methanol extract of Achyranthes aspera showed highest antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeroginosa with 1.6cm zone of inhibition. The ethanol leaf extract of Achyranthes aspera showed highest level of larvicidal activity against Culex sps of mosquito and highest anthelminthic activity against Pheretima postuma compared to other extracts. Hexane extract showed highest antioxidant activity compared to other solvent extracts and standard antioxidants. Thin layer chromatography of methanol, ethanol and hexane extract of Achyranthes aspera shows the presence of three alkaloid spot in silica gel plates with resolving factor of 0.72cm, 0.54cm and 0.12cm respectively. In the present study it was concluded that Achyranthes aspera is a source of pharmaceutical important compounds used for the treatment of human pathogenic diseases.

Keywords: Achyranthes aspera, Phytochemical screening, Antibacterial activity, Antilarval, Anthelminthic, Antioxidant activity and Thin layer chromatography.