Author(s):

Ruchi Singh and Preeti Chaturvedi

Abstract: Natural products are the main source of antioxidants that protect human body from oxidative damage. There are number of plants which are rich repository of the antioxidants. These plants need to be assessed scientifically for use as natural source of antioxidants. Hence, the objective of the present study was aimed to evaluate the phytochemical profile of a highly useful medicinal herb i.e., Rheum emodi. The Present research explores the phytochemical profile including phenolic content, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in methanolic extracts of rhizomes, fruits, leaves and callus of R. emodi. Data was analysed statistically by ANOVA (using STPR 2) and level of significance was determined by DMRT (using SPPS version 16). Phytochemical screening showed the presence of plethora of phytochemicals like phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, proteins, anthraquinones, quinones and glycosides. All extracts of R. emodi exhibited DPPH radical scavenging activity (%) and total antioxidant capacity in dose dependent manner with high level of significance. DPPH free radical scavenging activity was highest in rhizome (94.57 ± 0.26) and lowest in callus (70.86± 0.85) at 100 µg conc. Likewise, the fruits and callus showed maximum (24.76 ± 0.23) and minimum (5.52 ± 0.063) total antioxidant capacity (µg AAE/mg extract) respectively. Total phenolic content (µgGAE/mg extract) and total flavonoid content (µgQE/mg extract) was maximum in fruits (124.64 ± 0.81) and leaves (165 ± 0.57) respectively whereas callus exhibited minimum TPC (17.23 ± 0.50) and TFC (18.06 ± 0.21) values. All extracts of R. emodi showed positive correlation between total antioxidant capacity and phenolic content. All the parts of R. emodi used in the present study possessed significant antioxidant activity. Based on the study, it is recommended that not only the rhizomes, but aerial parts as well as calli can also be utilised as valuable sources of medicinally important antioxidants in pharmaceutical industries.

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