Phytochemical characterization of bioactive compounds and invitro evaluation of antimicrobial antioxidant and anticancer activities of Phyllanthus amarus

Abstract

Plants are significant components of nature and are easily available all over the globe. Herbal medicine had been used since pre-historic period and that information has been passed over generations. Role of research using herbs of medicinal importance is increasing rapidly during the preceding decade for development of new phytopharmaceuticals. Herbal medicines are generally used for longstanding diseases keeping in view our safety as they have fewer side effects. Modern medicine analyses biological effects of medicinal plants technically for novel drug development for accurate curing of diseases. This is an era where herbal medicines have re-emerged for drug discovery showing numerous therapeutic effects and scaling up of phytopharmaceuticals for manufacturing of drugs which are economical. Phyllanthus amarus belonging to family Euphorbiaceae has immense medicinal potential and occupied a major place in ancient system of medicine. Ethylacetate, dimethyl formamide, dichloromethane, chloroform and n-Hexane extracts derived from root, stem and leaves of Phyllanthus amarus were evaluated for the presence of phenols and flavonoids. These extracts were further evaluated for their biological activities viz. antimicrobial, anti-oxidant and anticancer activity. Leaf extracts displayed better activities in comparison to root and stem extracts.