Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of Pseuderanthemum malabaricum

Abstract

Pseuderanthemum malabaricum which is commonly called as the Malabar false eranthemum is widely distributed in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Even though the plant is widely distributed there is a lack of scientific evidence for its potential phytochemicals and their capability of medicinal usage. Hence the present study is focused on the qualitative and quantitative screening of phytochemicals present in Hexane, Chloroform, Methanol, and Aqueous extracts of P. malabaricum and to study the antioxidant activity by analyzing the capacity to scavenge 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals and ferric reducing antioxidant power FRAP assay. The results showed P. malabaricum is the potential source of a wide variety of phytochemicals such as Alkaloids, Phenols, flavonoids, Steroids etc. The leaves Methanol extract showed the highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 311.51 as compared with standard Ascorbic acid which showed 109.73.