Phytochemical Investigation and Antimutagenic Potential of Ethanolic Extracts of Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellirica

Abstract

Background: Emblica officinalis Gaertn. which belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae, Terminalia chebula Retz. and Terminalia bellerica Roxb. belong to the family Combretaceae. These are well known medicinal plants with phytochemical reservoir of great medicinal values and possess a vast ethnomedical history. Objective: The aim of the present study is to isolation of major compounds and to evaluate antimutagenic potential of the ethanol extracts of these plants. Methods: The dried fruits of E. officinalis, T. bellirica and T. chebula were powdered and extracted with 95% ethanol. The ethyl acetate portions were chromatographed over silica gel to isolate major compounds. Antimutagenic activity was determined by Ames test using TA98 and TA100 strains of Salmonella typhimurium. Results: Two major known compounds, gallic acid and ellagic acid were isolated from the dried fruits of Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula and T. bellirica. All the three extracts counteracted the mutagenicity induced by different genotoxic compounds in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion: This study showed that ethyl acetate portion of three extracts contain two major compounds, gallic acid and ellagic acid which might be responsible for potent antimutagenic activity of these extracts.