Antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of stems of Smilax zeylanica in vitro

Abstract

AbstractPlant-derived phytochemicals consisting of phenols and flavonoids possess antioxidant properties, eventually rendering a lucrative tool to scavenge reactive oxygen species. This study was carried out to evaluate in vitro antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of methanolic extract and petroleum ether extracts ofPhytochemical screening was done following standard procedures. Antioxidant activity was tested using several in vitro assays, viz., 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, NO assay, HPreliminary phytochemical study revealed the presence of flavonoids and glycosides in both extracts. Methanolic extract was found to possess stronger antioxidant potential than petroleum ether extracts in all assays. The ICThese findings demonstrate that methanolic extracts could be considered as potential sources of natural antioxidant, whereas petroleum ether extracts could be explored for promising anticancer molecules.