Boerhaavia erecta-A potential source for phytochemicals and antioxidants

To estimate phenols and flavonoids, enzymic antioxidants in the leaves of Boerhaavia erecta (LBE). The sample was extracted with 0.1M phosphate buffer for the analysis of phenols, flavonoids and antioxidants. The total phenolic content and total flavonoids in LBE were measured using Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminium chloride colorimetric methods respectively. The activity of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) was assessed by the formation of nitrite from hydroxylamine hydrochloride, Catalase (CAT) activity was determined by reduction of dichromate in acetic acid to chromic acetate, the peroxidase (POD) activity was assessed by the formation of oxidised pyrogallol colorimetric methods. Methanolic extraction of the sample was done for the HPTLC analysis. The presence of phenols and flavonoids was analysed using HPTLC method. The amount of total phenols and total flavonoids present in the leaves was found to be 85.90 ± 1.97 mg CEQ /100mg and 11.39 ± 0.86 mg CE/100mg respectively. The HPTLC fingerprinting has proved the presence of four phenolic and two flavonoid compounds. The activities of SOD, CAT and POD were 0.086 ± 0.009, 0.440 ± 0.350, 40.95 ± 12.60 units/mg protein respectively. This investigation demonstrates that the leaves of Boerhaavia erecta have therapeutic properties and hence could be used as source for nutraceuticals.