Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIOXIDANT EVALUATION OF LANTANA CAMARA FLOWER EXTRACTS

Vishnu Priya Kalimuthu*, Vaishnavi Velusamy, Midhun Raj Rajappan Ravindran

Abstract

Lantana camara, popularly called as Spanish flag and wild sage, belonging to the family Verbenaceae, is majorly distributed across India, notably in Jammu and Kashmir, South India, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and several other regions. Lantana camara is most widespread ornamental flowering shrub which is erect, hairy with unique variegated flowers. It is widely distributed in roadsides, railway tracks, and canals, also serves as both ornamental and medicinal plant. Lantana camara was popularly utilized in traditional medicine, with its extracts applied to cuts, wounds, skin ailments and eczema. The plant is abundant source of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids, and coumarins, contributing to its wide range of pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiulcer genic, anti-hyperglycaemic and anticancer. The present study was aimed to analyse the phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity of Lantana camara flower extract. Standard qualitative methods were employed to screen phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of aqueous extracts was assessed through DPPH assay. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of diverse secondary metabolites including alkaloids, saponins, tannins, glycosides and terpenoids. The DPPH assay exhibited strong antioxidant potential, indicates that Lantana camara may serve valuable nutritional and medicinal values, with promising various disease conditions.

Keywords: Lantana camara, Plant extract, Phytochemical, Antioxidant, DPPH Assay.