PHYTOCHEMICAL, ANTIOXIDANT AND CYTOTOXICITY STUDY OF THE METHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF LEAVES OF TRAPA BISPINOSA ROXB.

About 80% of the population living in rural areas in developing countries depends on traditional medicine for their health care needs. Many of the powerful drugs used in modern medicines originated in plants. Today’s plant-based drugs treat a range of diseases, from headaches to cancer. The objective of the present study was to evaluate phytochemical, antioxidant potential, and cytotoxicity of methanolic extract of leaves of Trapa bispinosa Roxb. The phytochemical screening demonstrated the presence of carbohydrates, glycosides, alkaloid, saponins, and tannins. Total phenolic and flavonoid content of the Trapa bispinosa Roxb. extracts was determined by using the Folin- Ciocalteu reagent and aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) method, respectively. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) free radical assay. In DPPH assay, free radical scavenging activity of the extracts was evaluated comparing with ascorbic acid at the wavelength of 517 nm and the IC₅₀ value of Trapa bispinosa Roxb. extracts were found to be 1.58 µg/ml, whereas ascorbic acid showed the value of 1.129 µg/ml. Moreover, it showed moderate reducing power. In the case of brine shrimp cytotoxicity assay, LC₅₀ value was obtained to be 2.87 μg/ml. The present study might be extended for the formulation and evaluation of different antioxidant herbal dosage forms.