Screening of phytochemical and in vitro antioxidant efficacy of Vitex negundo L. leaf extract

Objective: The present study was carried out to evaluate the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical and In vitro antioxidant activities of methanolic leaf extract of vitex negundo.

Materials and Methods: Vitex negundo leaves were extracted with three solvents like methanol,ethanol and water. Three extracts of vitex negundo were tested for different phytoconsituents and the In vitro antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract was studied by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing power activity, hyderogen peroxide scavenging activity, super oxide scavenging activity and nitricoxide scavenging activity. The total Phenolic contents and total flavanoid contents were also estimated.

Results: The yield of phytochemicals is in the order of methanol extract > ethanol extract > water were obtained. Finally, methanolic extract was selected for investigation on the analysis of total phenol content, total flavanoid content and in vitro antioxidant activity. Total phenolic content was estimated as 163.43 mg/g of extract and total flavonoid content was estimated 86.25 mg/g of extract. Free radical scavenging activity was determined by DPPH assay (86.2.%  inhibition at 1000 μg/ml concentration),ferric reducing power scavenging activity was determined (95.2% inhibition at 1000 μg/ml concentration), hydrogen  peroxide scavenging activity was determined (49.2.% inhibition at 1000 μg/ml concentration),super oxide radical scavenging activity was determined (77.2 .%  inhibition at 1000 μg/ml concentration)  and  nitric oxide radical scavenging activity was determined (98.4.%  inhibition at 1000 μg/ml concentration)  at highest concentration of methanol extract of vitex negundo  in this study.

Conclusion: The present study concluded that the in vitro antioxidant activity of Vitex negundo L.  was mainly due to the presence of the phenolic compounds like tannins and flavonoid compounds like quercetin. 

Key words: Phytochemical,Vitex negundo L,  In vitro antioxidant, Total phenols, Total flavonoids.