Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF Furcraea foetida LEAVES

R. Vanitha, R. Manikandan and P. Prabhu*

Abstract

Plant and plant products are being used as a source of medicine since long. Plant extracts increasingly used as phytotherapeutics and are still a large source of natural antioxidant. In the present study to investigate the Phytochemical screening and in vitro antioxidant activity of Furcraea foetida leaves. The results of the present study indicated that the preliminary phytochemical analysis of the leaves of Furcraea foetida revealed presence of Flavonoids, phenolics, steroids, tannin, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids, phlobatannins. Steroids, alkaloids and anthroquinones. The inorganic elemental analysis of Furcraea foetida leaves revealed the presence Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Sulphate, Phosphate, Chloride and Nitrate. Vitamin A, C and D were found to be in Furcraea foetida leaf. In vitro antioxidant activity of Furcraea foetida leaves confirmed through DPPH, Superoxide radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant assay, Iron chelating activity and reducing power assay. Thus, it can be concluded that Furcraea foetida leaves can be used as an accessible source of natural antioxidants with consequent health benefits.

Keywords: Furcraea foetida leaves, Phytochemicals, Antioxidant, Vitamins, inorganic elements.