Pharmacophore an International Research Journal
Clerodendrum infortunatum is a traditional Indian medicinal plant that has been documented in the traditional systems of medicines like Ayurveda, Yunani etc for the treatment of many diseases. The medicinal properties of plants are attributed to the various phytoconstituents synthesized during the plant secondary metabolism. In the present study, attempts were made to investigate the phytoconstituents present in petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and methanol extracts of the root bark and leaf. All the extracts were found to contain bioactive compounds. Since these compounds are of pharmacological importance, all the extracts were then subjected to in vitro antioxidant screening by the evaluation of total antioxidant activity, free radical scavenging activity and reducing power. All the extracts of the root bark and leaf exhibited significant antioxidant activity and radical scavenging activity. The reducing power increased with increasing concentration. Among various extracts, acetone extract exhibited the highest activity. Phytochemical screening showed phenols and tannins as the major components in the acetone extract of both root bark and leaf and thus these compounds may be responsible for the greater activity of the acetone extract.
