Antioxidant, Brine Shrimp Lethality and Antimicrobial Activities of Methanol and Ethyl-Acetate Extracts of Citrus macroptera Montr. Fruit Using In vitro Assay Models.

Aims: To study and evaluate In vitro antioxidant, brine shrimp lethality and antimicrobial activities of both methanol and ethyl-acetate extracts of Citrus macroptera Montr. Fruit (Family-Rutaceae). Study Design: In vitro antioxidant, brine shrimp lethality and antimicrobial activities. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacy, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342. The study was carried out from November 2013 to January 2014. Methodology: In vitro antioxidant activities of the extracts were studied using DPPH radical scavenging assay, NO scavenging assay, total phenol, total flavonoid content, total antioxidant capacity, total tannin content, lipid peroxidation by TBA, lipid peroxidation in human erythrocyte cell, reducing power capacity and cupric reducing capacity assays. Lethality bioassay was performed on Artemia salina Leach nauplii. Antimicrobial activity was investigated by disc diffusion technique. Results: Methanol extract showed better activity than ethyl acetate extract in DPPH, NO, lipid peroxidation by TBA, reducing power capacity assay, total phenol, total flavonoid and total antioxidant capacity assays while ethyl –acetate extract showed more potency than methanol extract in total tannin content, cupric reducing capacity and lipid peroxidation in human erythrocyte assays. In brine shrimp bioassay both extracts showed promising lethal activity but methanol extract was found to be more potent than ethyl acetate extract (χ2=39.874, P<0.0001). In disc diffusion technique among six bacterial species, ethyl acetate extract showed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against two gram positive Bacillus sublitis and Staphylococcus aureus and one gram negative Escherichia coli. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that methanol and ethyl-acetate extracts of C. macroptera fruit can be used as potential antioxidant, cytotoxic and antimicrobial agents. That is why extensive researches are necessary to search for active principles responsible for these activities.

In-vitro Evaluation of Cytotoxic and Anthelmintic Activity of Luffa acutangula, Luffa aegyptiaca and Momordica cochinchinensis.

Aims: The study was designed to investigate cytotoxic and anthelmintic activity of aerial parts of Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. (Family: Cucurbitaceae, locally known as ‘Jhinga’), Luffa aegyptiaca Mill. (Family: Cucurbitaceae, locally known as ‘Dhundul’) and Momordica cochinchinensis (Lour.) Spreng. (Family: Cucurbitaceae, locally known as ‘Kakrol’) extracted with various solvents (petroleum ether & methanol). Study Design: Determination of cytotoxic and anthelmintic activity of aerial parts of three (Cucurbitaceae family) Bangladeshi plants. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacy, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342. Performed between November 2011- September 2012. Methodology: The cytotoxic activity was evaluated by Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay and anthelmintic activity by in-vitro test using earth worm Pheretima posthuma (Annelida) as test animals. Results: In Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay, methanol extract of M. cochinchinensis and L. aegyptiaca were found to be highly toxic to Brine Shrimp nauplii, having LC50 of 1.91±0.79 μg/ml and 3.97±0.61 μg/ml respectively. The three methanol extracts of aerial part of L. acutangula, L. aegyptiaca and M. cochinchinensis showed moderate anthelmintic activity. 50mg/ml concentration of methanol extract of M. cochinchinensis showed maximum activity showing death in test animals at 43±1.3 min which is comparable to the standard (Piperazine Citrate, 10 mg/ml) which killed the test animal at 38 ± 0.63 min. Conclusion: Further studies are suggested to be undertaken to understand the underlying mechanism of the observed cytotoxic and anthelmintic activity of these three Bangladeshi (Cucurbitaceae family) plants.