Phytochemical Investigations and Screening of Antihyperlipidemic and Antioxidant Activities of some Medicinal Plants

Achyranthes aspera Linn and Achyranthes bidentata Blume are two perennial herbs with slender and rambling branches. The two plant materials were collected from different parts of Nilgiri district of Tamilnadu and authenticated. Physicochemical parameters like total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble ash, and sulphated ash values were determined. Fluorescence analysis was carried out for the plant powder and their extracts. The dried and powdered leaves and seeds of plants were extracted with water and 50% ethanol through cold maceration. Alcohol soluble extractive and water soluble extractive values were determined. Phytochemical studies from the plant extracts using column chromatography by gradient elution method was carried out for the TLC and HPTLC analysis and Rf values were recorded. The phytochemical studies of the plant extracts showed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, triterpenoids, saponins, flavonoids and mucilage. These results gave clues regarding the presence of some particular phytoconstituents in the respective plant extracts. The in vitro antioxidant assays of the plant extract exhibited potent antioxidant activity with low IC50 values in DPPH reducing power ability and Nitric oxide scavenging activity. 50% ethanol of both plants at a dose level of 200 mg/kg showed better antioxidant activity. The in vivo screening for antihyperlipidemic activity with triton induced hyperlipidemia and high fat diet induced hyperlipidemia model showed that both aqueous and 50% ethanol extracts of plants at a dose of 200 mg/kg exhibited significant activity against hyperlipidemia. Antihyperlipidemic activity and in vitro antioxidant activity of the various extracts may be attributed to the presence of triterpenoids, saponins, and flavonoids. From these studies, it can be concluded that both the plants are endowed with significant antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant activity. However, the future studies need to be carried out to isolate and screen the phytoprinciples responsible for the anti-hyperlipidemic and antioxidant activity. More wide-cut understanding of mechanism needs further studies with more animal model viz. isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction for their anti-hyperlipidemic activity and SOD, GSH, and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays for antioxidant activity. Works in this direction are in progress in the institution