Antioxidant Potential and GC-MS Analysis of Abrus precatorius Linn Leaves Ethanol Extract

Aims: The aim of present study to evaluate the antioxidant potential of Abrus precatorius Linn leaves ethanol extract containing bioactive compounds on free radical scavenger using DPPH. Ethanol extract of Abrus precatorius Linn leaves was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening and fraction of extract was detected by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis.

Methodology and Results: GC-MS analysis of ethanol leaves extract was carried out on Shimadzu GC-MS model number QP 2010S and revealed the presence of 18 phytochemical compounds, with mome inositol as a dominant component. Antioxidant potential of leaves ethanol extract was evaluated using DPPH free radical scavenging assay at five different doses as 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 μg/mL and showed significant DPPH free radical scavenging potential with the IC50 value of 33.37 μg/mL. The bioautography of extract showed that fractions with the most prominent antioxidant potential tended to contain secondary metabolites reported in preliminary phytochemical screening such as alkaloids, carbohydrates, protein and amino acids, glycoside, tannins, flavonoids, triterpenoids and phenolic compounds. The results evaluate and justify the traditional relevance of Abrus precatorius Linn leaves ethanol extract for free radical scavenging potential as a antioxidant and can be used as a lead for the isolation of the antioxidant bioactive chemical constituents in further study.

Conclusion: Preliminary phytochemical screening reported various bioactive compounds in the ethanol extract of Abrus precatorius Linn leaves and identified by GC-MS. The extract exhibited greater free radical scavenging activity i.e. antioxidant potential. The presence of various bioactive phytocompounds justifies the therapeutic use of the Abrus precatorius Linn plant leaves for various ailments by traditional practitioners.