Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of potential phytochemical compounds in medicinal plants of Hemidesmus indicus, Canthium parviflorum and Canavalia gladiata and to test their effect on Caco-2 cell viability. In H. indicus fresh roots were used where as in C. parviflorum and C. gladiata fresh leaves were screened for their potential phytochemical compounds. Phytochemical screening of the compounds was carried out with aqueous and methanolic extracts based on the standard identification methods. Results revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, anthraquinones and reducing sugars. The aqueous extract of all the screened plant materials contained tannins, alkaloids and flavonoids. Among this, flavonoids occupied a major portion in plant extracts. The methanolic extracts of all the plant extracts revealed the presence of flavonoids in them. Based on the screening results obtained by aqueous and methanolic extracts it is well understood that the plant extracts screened could be potentially used for a wide range of applications in medicine as well as for other industrial applications. These extracts were tested for their cytotoxic effect on the colon adenocarcinoma cell line (Caco-2). MTT assay was used to evaluate the viability of cells in the presence of the extracts. Methanolic extract of C. parviflorum extract showed to be a potent cytotoxic with an IC₅₀ at 52 µg/ml. H. indicusshowed an IC₅₀ at 60 µg/ml and C. gladiata was non toxic.

Key words: Phytochemical, screening, medicinal plants, cytotoxicity.