Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ANTI-OXIDANT ACTIVITY OF TINOSPORA CORDIFOLIA (Thunb.)Meirs

Dr. (Mrs). D.A. Shahira Banu*

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to analyse the phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of the leaf of Tinospora cordifolia of Menispermaceae family a promising medicinal plant with great economic potential. The Tinospora cordifolia leaf extracts (collected from Chennai, Tamilnadu, India) were evaluated for the presence of secondary metabolites using various solvents like aqueous, ethanol, chloroform, petroleum ether and acetone. The leaf extracts were evaluated for qualitative and quantitative antioxidant activity of aqueous, ethanol, chloroform, petroleum ether and acetone extracts by using DPPH as free radical. The ethanol leaf extracts of Tinospora cordifolia were rich in tannins, saponins, quinones, terpenoids, steroids, flavanoids, phenols, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, coumarins and betacyanin followed by other extracts. The ethanolic leaf extracts of Tinospora cordifolia recorded higher percentage of free radical scavenging activity than aqueous followed by acetone, petroleum ether and chloroform. Tinospora cordifolia contains more phytochemicals and act as a good source of natural antioxidants.

Keywords: Tinospora cordifolia, Phytochemicals, Secondary metabolites and antioxidant activity.