PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF FIVE DIFFERENT EXTRACTS OF WITHANIA SOMNIFERA ROOT

Mohammad Shahriar*, Abu Nizam Md Bahar, Md. Ismail Hossain, Sadika Akhter, Md. Aminul Haque and Mohiuddin Ahmed Bhuiyan

Current investigation aimed to assess the phytochemical screening, free radical scavenging potential and cytotoxic activity of the root extracts of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha). Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenol, flavonoid, tannin, saponin, alkaloid, glycoside and carbohydrate. In evaluation, methanol, ethanol, chloroform, pet-ether and n-hexane extract of the root powder was prepared and screened for in-vitro antioxidant activities by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity where chloroform, pet-ether and methanol extract of Withania somnifera showed noticeable effect in the DPPH scavenging assay. All five extracts were subjected to brine shrimp lethality bioassay for possible cytotoxicity. Concentration dependent increment in percent mortality of Brine Shrimp nauplii produced by the ethanol extract of Withania somnifera indicates the presence of cytotoxic principles in these extractives.