Exploration of Phytochemical and Biological Prospective of Chenopodium ambrosioides Linn

Abstract

The validation of under explored traditional plant remedies represents a reservoir of novel leads for drug discovery. The present study was designed to determine the polarity dependent extraction efficiency of Chenopodium ambrosioides Linn. followed by exploration of phytochemicals and different biological activities (antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxicity and protein kinase inhibition potential). Extracts were prepared by macerating different parts of plant (seed, stem and root) in 14 different solvents of ranging polarity. Maximum percent extract recovery was yielded by methanol-distilled water extracts of seed, stem and root i.e. 10.01%, 8.67% and 4.34% w/w respectively. Methanol extract of each plant part exhibited highest amount of gallic acid equivalent total phenolic and quercetin equivalent total flavonoid contents i.e. 64.15 ± 1.41 μg GAE/mg extract and 53.07 ± 1.42 μg QE/mg extract in seed extracts, 58.69 ± 1.13 μg GAE/mg extract and 49.87 ± 1.49 μg QE/mg extract in stem extracts and 53.31 ± 1.26 μg GAE/mg extract and 45.83 ± 0.91 μg QE/mg extract in root extracts respectively. Reverse phase HPLC-DAD profiling showed significant amount of rutin, quercetin, catechin, myricetin and kaempferol in different extracts ranging from 0.27-2.86 μg/mg extract. Methanolic extract of seed, stem and root exhibited highest free radical (DPPH) scavenging capability i.e. 80.12 ± 1.27% (IC 50 110.07 μg/ml), 75.51 ± 2.65% (IC 50 167.4 μg/ml), 71.96 ± 1.14% (IC 50 188.5 μg/ml) respectively. Total antioxidant capacity and total reducing power was also observed to be maximum in methanolic extract of seed (112.01 ± 0.23 and 95 ± 0.43 μg AAE/mg), stem (105.21 ± 1.16 and 81.93 ± 0.45 μg AAE/mg) and root (101.3 ± 1.15 and 79.75 ± 0.16 μg AAE/mg). N-hexane extract of seed part showed highest antibacterial activity with 14 ± 1.61 mm zone of growth inhibition against K. pneumoniae. The significant antifungal activity against F. solani was divulged by chloroform extract of seed with 17 ± 1.38 mm zone of inhibition. Ethyl acetate extract of seed demonstrated significant bioactive potential against brine shrimps with LC 50 125 μg/ml. Methanol and ethanol extracts of seed and root while chloroform- methanol extract of stem exhibited significant inhibitory activity against Streptomyces 85E with 20 mm bald zone. This study provides conclusive evidence that bioactive potential of medicinal plants and the extraction of commercially important compounds can be completely explored by using multiple solvent systems. This study demonstrates a promising potential for the bioactivity guided isolation of bioactive compounds.