Identification of Phytoconstituents of Tragia Involucrata leaf Extracts and Evaluate their Correlation with Anti-inflammatory & Antioxidant Properties

Abstract

Aims: The present investigation was aimed at exploring the phytoconstituents using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy and to evaluate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the leaf extracts.

Materials and methods: The extracts were obtained sequentially with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and water using Soxhlet apparatus. The anti-inflammatory property of the identified compounds using GC- MS spectroscopy was evaluated in silico. The antioxidant activity was performed by DPPH and H₂O₂ method whereas anti-inflammatory study was carried out by HRBC membrane stabilization method. Terpenoids were found to be a major constituents in petroleum ether extract while, phenols and flavonoids were predominantly found in ethyl acetate extract.

Results and discussion: The GC-MS analysis of the extract revealed six major molecules including Squalene, 19β, 28-epoxyleanan-3-ol and 2-tu-Butyl-5-chloromethyl-3-methyl-4-oxoimidazolidine- 1-carboxylic acid. The ethyl acetate extract showed a significant antioxidant activity (P<0.01) in both DPPH method (70.87%) and H₂O₂ method (73.58%) at 200 μg mL^-1. Increased membrane stabilization of petroleum ether extract was observed in the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity study. A strong relationship between the terpenoid content and anti-inflammatory activity was obtained from the correlation (0.971) and docking study.

Conclusion: These results justify T. involucrata to be a rich source of terpenoids with potent anti- inflammatory property.

Keywords: GC-MS analysis; Tragia involucrata; anti-inflammatory; antioxidant; molecular docking.; terpenoids.