Phytochemical and Pharmacognostic Study of Hedyotis scandens Roxb. from Mizoram, Northeast India

Abstract

Hedyotis scandens Roxb. (Family Rubiaceae) is used as a medicinal plant in many communities including Mizoram, northeast India. However, there is little evidence of its therapeutic potential, and scientific proof of its antioxidant capacity is not available to our knowledge and hence, the present study aims to explore the phytoconstituents and curative property of Hedyotis scandens Roxb methanolic leaf extract. Free radical scavenging activity was carried out in vitro. In a concentration-dependent manner, the Hedyotis scandens methanolic leaf extract suppressed the production of ABTS, DPPH and Nitric oxide. The IC50 for DPPH was 35.7±0.14µg/ml, for ABTS it was 50.03±0.12µg/ml and for Nitric oxide the IC50 was 83.61±0.2µg/ml. The presence of compounds such as alkaloid, tannin, flavonoid, and carbohydrate was revealed by phytochemical screening of the plant extract. The total phenolic content was 27.17±0.27 GAE mg/g whereas the total flavonoid content was 29.92±0.3 QE mg/g. The total antioxidant potential of the plant was found to be 98.03±0.14 AE mg/g. Concentration-dependent reducing activity against potassium ferricyanide was seen in the ferric reducing power assay. Antibacterial activity was conducted with two assays and the plant extract showed highest activity against Micrococcus luteus with an inhibition zone of 11.3±0.3mm for 10mg/ml and 15.3±0.3mm for 20mg/ml followed by Escherichia coli at 8.3±0.3mm for 10mg/ml and 10.6±0.3mm, Bacillus subtilis with inhibition zone of 7.3±0.3mm for 10mg/ml and 10.3±0.3mm for 20mg/ml. However, the plant extract did not have any activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.