Comparative analyses on radical scavenging and cytotoxic activity of phenolic and flavonoid content from selected medicinal plants

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the total phenolic (TPC), flavonoid (TFC), radical scavenging and cytotoxic activities in the aqueous methanolic extracts of Angelica sinensis, Dioscorea polystachya, Ginkgo biloba, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Lycium barbarum with two dietary plants: Brassica oleracea and Zingiber officinale. The TPC and TFC in medicinal plant extracts were 12–93% lower than Z. officinale as follows: L. barbarum > G. uralensis > A. sinensis > G. biloba > D. polystachya. The decreasing radical scavenging activity in medicinal plant extracts shared similar trend: G. uralensis > L. barbarum > A. sinensis > G. biloba > D. polystachya. Both TPC and TFC were positively correlated with radical scavenging and cytotoxic activities. All medicinal plants were considered inactive (LC₅₀ > 0.2 mg/ml) and safe for consumption. The TPC, TFC, radical scavenging and cytotoxic activities in the medicinal plants were plant-part dependant, in particular L. barbarum and G. uralensis.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Antioxidant
• cytotoxicity
• flavonoid
• medicinal plant
• radical scavenging activity
• total phenolics

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research work was supported by Malaysian Allied Health Science Academy Grant, RP157-05-19 and Fundamental Research Grant Scheme, FRGS/1/2019/SKK06/UNIM/02/1.