Phytochemical screening, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of successive extracts of Couroupita guianensis Aubl. plant

Abstract

Couroupita guianensis Aubl. is widely used in Indian traditional medicines to treat stomach aches, cold, skin diseases, microbial and fungal infections. In the present study series of experiments were performed to screen phytochemical constituents, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of successive extracts of leaves, stem and crude methanolic extract of flowers of Couroupita guianensis. The extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant activity by 1,1’-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, nitric oxide free radical scavenging activity, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, lipid peroxide inhibitory activity, hydroxyl radical by deoxyribose method and total antioxidant capacity of extracts and cytotoxic property of extracts as well as total phenolic content. The methanolic leaf extract showed highest total phenol content. Ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were found to possess excellent antioxidant activity in most of the tested methods. In the cytotoxicity study of extracts, the results suggested that ethyl acetate leaf and crude methanolic flower extracts possess better activity.