In-Vitro Study Of Antioxidant, Anti Inflammatory And Anticancer Activity Of Eugenol From Ocimum Sanctum

Abstract

Introduction: India is endowed with a rich wealth of medicinal plants, being perhaps the largest producer and rightly acclaimed as the botanical garden of the world. Plants are the richest source of drugs of traditional systems of medicine, modern medicines, nutraceuticals, food supplements, folk medicines, pharmaceuticals intermediates and chemical entities for synthetic drugs.
Materials and methods: The aqueous and ethyl acetate extract of Ocimum sanctumL. leaves were analyzed for phytochemicals. The properties of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity were screened.
Results: The results showed the presence of phytochemicals such as flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids etc. phytochemicals were quantified and total flavonoid content was found to be 71.21μg/ml (aqueous extract) and the total phenol content was found to be 37.97μg/ml (ethyl acetate extract). The major constituents of O. sanctum were eugenol (25.56 mg/g) and eugenyl acetate (3.5 mg/g).Further the anti- oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effect of aqueous and ethyl acetate extract was studied. DPPH, Reducing power determination was used in identifying the antioxidant activity. and it was found that ethyl acetate extract have higher activity compared to aqueous extract. HRBC membrane stabilization was performed to study the anti-inflammatory activity and it was found that ethyl acetate extract have higher anti-inflammatory activity compared to aqueous extract. MTT assay was carried out to study the anticancer activity.
Conclusion: The eugenol content is present more in O. sanctum and it is used for treating anticancer and anti inflammatory activity. O. sanctum would be a potent weapon for fighting against cancer.