A STUDY ON THE IN-VITRO ANTIFUNGAL, LARVICIDAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF ROOT AND SHOOT OF BIOPHYTUM SENSITIVUM (LINN.) DC.

The present study assayed the antifungal, larvicidal and antioxidant properties of the aqueous and acetone extracts of root and shoot of Biophytum sensitivum (Linn.) DC. The aqueous extracts of both root and shoot had little activity against the three test fungi such as A. niger, A. flavus and Penicillium. The acetone shoot extract was also ineffective against these fungi. However, the acetone root extract exhibited magnificent antifungal activity against A. flavus (zone of growth inhibition of 33.5 mm); but moderately affected the growth of Penicillium (9.5 mm), in the disc diffusion assay. The acetone root extract had no activity on A. flavus. The aqueous extracts of root and shoot of B. sensitivum were also assayed for larvicidal activity on the the 3^rd and 4^th instar mosquito larval stages. The shoot extract exhibited potent larvicidal activity, with 100% mortality induced in the larvae, within 48 h of exposure with the extract. The root extract on the contrary, had negligible activity against the mosquito larvae, exhibiting only 30% larvicidal activity, even after 48 h of exposure with the extract. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extract of shoot and root of B. sensitivum was assayed by means of DPPH assay. The EC₅₀ values obtained for root and shoot samples were 67 and 64 µg, respectively; the corresponding ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant activities of these samples were calculated as 0.0746 and 0.078, respectively.