Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology

Dicliptera cuneata Nees plant belongs to family Acanthaceae. This plant is commonly called as karunkuruntu (tamil) and pinchakusuma (telugu). This is inhabited in deciduous to moist deciduous forests. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical constituents and antioxidant property in various extract preparations of this plant through standard procedures.

Chemical test for identification of various phytochemicals (flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, phenols, glycosides, steroids) in chloroform, ethanolic, alcoholic and hydroalcoholic extracts of Dicliptera cuneata Nees was evaluated using standard methods as described in previous literature. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was performed using DPPH method.

Saponins, tannins and flavonoids were detected in chloroform and ethanolic extract. Hydroalcoholic extract contained alkaloids along with flavonoids and saponins. Terpinoids were detected in ethanolic and hexane extracts. Hexane and chloroform extracts of this plant showed very less antioxidant properties in comparison to ethanolic and hydroalcoholic extracts. And in comparison, to ethanolic extract, hydroalcoholic extract showed good antioxidant property in a dose dependent manner. Ethanolic extract showed %inhibition of 26.60, 30.09, 32.93, 34.40, 36.70 at 10μg, 100μg, 300μg, 500μg, 1000μg/ml of concentration respectively. Hydroalcoholic extract showed % inhibition of 24.95, 35.32, 58.07, 59.44, 74.58 at 10μg, 100μg, 300μg, 500μg, 1000μg/ml concentrations respectively.

Hydroalcoholic extract of Dicliptera cuneata Nees may be considered as potent antioxidant and may be tested for its efficacy in other in-vitro and in-vivo models.