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 α-amylase inhibitory activity and in vivo hypoglycemic effect of methanol extract of Citrus macroptera Montr. fruit

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of methanol extract of Citrus macroptera Montr. fruit in α-amylase inhibitory activity (in vitro) and hypoglycemic activity in normal and glucose induced hyperglycemic rats (in vivo). Methods: Fruits of Citrus macroptera without rind was extracted with pure methanol following cold extraction and tested for presence of phytochemical constituents, α-amylase inhibitory activity, and hypoglycemic effect in normal rats and glucose induced hyperglycemic rats.Results:showed that fruit extract had moderate α-amylase inhibitory activity [IC50 value=(3.638±0.190) mg/mL] as compared to acarbose. Moreover at 500 mg/kg and 1 000 mg/kg doses fruit extract significantly (P<0.05 and P<0.01 respectively) reduced fasting blood glucose level in normal rats as compared to glibenclamide (5 mg/kg). In oral glucose tolerance test, 500 mg/kg dose significantly reduced blood glucose level (P<0.05) at 2 h but 1000 mg/kg dose significantly reduced blood glucose level at 2 h and 3 h (P<0.05 and P<0.01 respectively) whereas glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) significantly reduced glucose level at every hour after administration. Overall time effect is also considered extremely significant with F value=23.83 and P value=0.0001 in oral glucose tolerance test.Conclusion:These findings suggest that the plant may be a potential source for the development Presence of saponin, steroid and terpenoid were identified in the extract. The results of new oral hypoglycemic agent.

Strategies to evaluate antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of pet ether extract of Artocarpus chama Buch. seed.

Plant derived phytochemicals consisting of phenols and flavonoids possess antioxidant properties, eventually renders a lucrative tool to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the current study various in vitro assay strategies were implemented to evaluate antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of pet ether extract of seeds of Artocarpus chama Buch., using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging assay, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity, reducing power antioxidant capacity, total antioxidant capacity, determination of total phenol and flavonoid contents and cytotoxic activity test using brine shrimp lethality bioassay. Preliminary phytochemical study revealed the presence of flavonoid and alkaloid in the extract. In DPPH radical scavenging assay, the fraction showed significant antioxidant activities in the assay compared to the reference ascorbic acid in a dose dependent manner.The IC50 value of the crude pet ether extract was 36.87 μg/mL, whereas IC50 value for the reference ascorbic acid was 14.56 μg/mL. Moreover, profound total antioxidant activity (3676.4 mg/g equivalent to ascorbic acid) was observed at 200 μg/mL extract concentration. Furthermore, extract showed good cupric reducing power and reducing power capability. In addition, significant amount of phenols and flavonoids content were obtained from the extract. The extract also displayed strong cytotoxic potential with LC50 value of 7.19 μg/mL in brine shrimp lethality bioassay. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that significant antioxidant potential as well as cytotoxic potential of pet ether extract, might be due to the attributes of high amount of phenols and flavonoids present in the extract.