Phytochemical investigation of medicinally important plants of the Pothohar region of Pakistan

Objective: To report the phytochemical composition (flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids) and biological activities (antioxidant, phytotoxic, cytotoxic, antifungal activities) of medicinally important plants of Pothohar region.

Methods: In the current study various qualitative and quantitative phytochemical tests were conducted to investigate the phytochemical composition of plant extracts prepared in benzene, chloroform and methanol. The same extracts were further utilized in different biological activities i.e., antioxidant [total antioxidant capacity, total reducing power, and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay], phytotoxicity (Radish seed bioassay), brine shrimp cytotoxicity and antifungal activities (against four pathogenic fungal strains).

Results: Phytochemical analysis indicate flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, tannins and terpenoids were present in almost all plants however, maximum amount of total phenolic and flavonoid contents was reported in of Malva parviflora and Lepidium pinnatifidum. Extracts of Malva parviflora and Lepidium pinnatifidum also depicted the superlative antioxidant activity (total antioxidant capacity, total reducing power, and DPPH scavenging activity). Maximum fungal growth inhibition was demonstrated by extracts of Centaurea calcitropa, Vicia sativa and Malva parviflora. The maximum cytotoxicity was shown by the extracts of Centaurea calcitropa. Moreover, for phytotoxicity assay the highest allelopathic potential was exhibited by extracts of Lepidium pinnatifidum. Solvents prejudiced results; the best results were obtained by Methanol followed by Chloroform and Benzene.

Conclusion: Centaurea calcitropa, Vicia sativa, Malva parviflora and Lepidium pinnatifidum are most promising medicinal plants of Pothohar region for future studies.

Keywords: Antifungal agent; Centaurea; Cytotoxin; Malva; Phytotoxicity; Pothohar region.