Phytochemical and in vitro biological investigations of methanolic extracts of Enhydra fluctuans Lour

Objective:To study the phytochemical and biological properties(antioxidant,anthelmintic and thrombolytic)of methanolic extracts of Enhydra fluctuant Lour.,a plant belonging to the Asteraceae family.Methods:The phytochemical evaluation was carried out by qualitative analysis.In vitro antioxidant activity of extract was studied using free radical scavenging assay,ability of reduction,total phenol and total flavonoid contents determination assays.The anthelmintic activity was determined using paralysis and death time of Pheretima posthuma(earthworm)and thrombolytic activity by clot disruption assay.Results:The phytochemical evaluation showed significant presence of flavonoids,triterpenes,carbohydrate,reducing sugars,saponins,phenols,diterpenes,protein and tannin.The antioxidant activity was found significant[IC_(50)(135.20±036)μg/mL]as compared to ascorbic acid[(130.00±0.76)μg/mL].The reducing power was increased with concentration.Total phenol and total flavonoid contents were(153.08±0.38)mg/mL and(172.04±0.56)mg/mL respectively.The paralysis and death time of earthworms for different concentrations of extract were determined and compared with albendazole.The results showed that 10 mg/mL of the crude extract had similar effect with albendazole.Additionally,the crude extract showed a concentration depended relationship with its anthelmintic property.The clot lysis activity of crude extract was compared to the standard streptokinase's clot lysis(40.13%)activity and found significant(31%).Conclusions:The study proves that the crude methanolic extract of Enhydra fluctuant Lour,has significant antioxidant,anthelmintic and thrombolytic activity containing wide range of phytochemicals.

<i>In Vitro</i>Studies on Sida Cordifolia Linn for Anthelmintic and Antioxidant Properties

The present study was undertaken to evaluate in-vitro antioxidant and anthelmintic activity of ethanolic and aqueous extract from whole plant Sida cordifolia Linn (Malvaceae). The antioxidant activities are evaluated by various antioxidant assays like α, α-Diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, total reducing power, nitric oxide scavenging and hydrogen peroxide scavenging. The various antioxidant activities were compared to standard antioxidants such as ascorbic acid. The antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract is almost quantitatively equivalent to that of the standards used, ascorbic acid. The further anthelmintic activity of whole plant is investigated through using Indian earthworm (Pheretima posthuma) showed that it is one of the most important local medicinal plants both for ritual and ethnomedical practices. Various concentrations of ethanol and aqueous extract (10, 20, 30, 40 mg/ml) of whole plant of Sida cordifolia Linn were tested in the bioassay, which involve determination of time of paralysis of the worms. Albendazole was included as reference standard. The most activity was observed with aqueous extract as compared to standard drug. The results from the above studies indicate that plant Sida cordifolia Linn. possesses potent antioxidant and anthelmintic activity.