Phytochemical screening and biological activity evaluation of Hygrophila schulli

Abstract

Hygrophila schulli (Family: Acanthaceae) is a crucial medicinal plant which is commonly habitat in the sub continental zone. The plant is frequently used in the Indian Ayurveda system for the treatment of urogenital tract diseases such as in dysuria, urinary calculi and cystitis due to its diuretic property. Moreover, the plant has also established its significant potentiality in treating kidney stone in the folk medicine system. In spite of its strong medicinal value, only sporadic attempts have been made for the scientific and methodical validation of these traditional uses. The current investigation aimed to determine the phytochemical constituents as well as to evaluate antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic potentials of the methanolic extract of this plant. The investigation revealed the presence of several phytochemical compounds namely, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, glycosides, tannins and steroids. The antioxidant potential of the plant was evaluated by means of DPPH assay and total phenolic content assay. Both the assay showed significant antioxidant potential of this plant. It draws a fine line to use H. schulli in cardiovascular and antiinflammatory diseases. Brine shrimp lethality bioassay was also performed on this plant, which showed a dose dependent relationship of concentration and % mortality of shrimp nauplii. In this study, the LC50 values of the standard, vincristine sulphate and methanolic extract of H. schulli were obtained 1.115 g/mL and 294.182 g/mL respectively. However, the crude methanolic extract as well as the pet ether fraction, chloroform fraction, ethyl acetate fraction and aqueous fraction of H. schulli showed no sensitivity in antimicrobial assay. Based on these investigations, it may be suggest that the plant H. schulli can be used as a potential medicinal plant.