PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF LEAVES, STEMS, FLOWERS, AND ROOTS EXTRACTS OF BOUGAINVILLEA SPECTABILIS WILLD.

Abstract

Objective: Hydroalcoholic and alcoholic extracts of the various parts of Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd. (Nyctaginaceae) have been used as a natural therapeutic agent in traditional medicine to treat oxidative damage/oxidative stress, and inflammation from ancient times. Materials and Methods: Research is principally focused on evaluating the effect of various parts of this plant on its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In vitro studies were conducted for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Results: Hydroalcoholic and alcoholic extracts of the various parts of the plants showed scavenging activity against 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical relative to Vitamin C (standard) at P < 0.05, but an excellent activity was observed with flowers as compared with other parts of the plants in hydroalcoholic extract. A remarkable anti-inflammatory activity observed by hydroalcoholic extract (10% w/w) of flowers as compared to leaves, stem, and roots against diclofenac sodium (standard). The present investigation revealed that the hydroalcoholic extracts of the flowers of B. spectabilis Willd. exhibited significant antioxidant activity which is comparable to known standards.