IN-VITRO PHARMACOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SWERTIA CHIRATA EXTRACT
Basant Kumar Chauhan, Gyan Singh, Vivek Gupta
ABSTRACT
Swertia chirata is a traditionally valued medicinal plant known for its wide range of pharmacological properties. The present study was carried out to evaluate the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant potential, antimicrobial activity, and anti-acne efficacy of the ethanolic extract of Swertia chirata. The percentage yield of the ethanolic extract was found to be 11.57% (w/w), indicating efficient extraction of bioactive compounds. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, proteins, carbohydrates, saponins, and sterols, while alkaloids, glycosides, diterpenes, and tannins were absent. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were found to be 0.72 mg/100 mg and 0.85 mg/100 mg, respectively. The antioxidant activity evaluated using the DPPH assay showed a concentration-dependent free radical scavenging effect with an IC?? value of 79.26 µg/ml for the extract, compared to 19.67 µg/ml for ascorbic acid. The antimicrobial evaluation demonstrated significant inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, with maximum zones of inhibition of 12 ± 0.47 mm and 14 ± 0.94 mm, respectively, at 100 mg/ml. Furthermore, the extract exhibited promising anti-acne activity against Propionibacterium acnes, showing a maximum zone of inhibition of 16 ± 0.86 mm. The observed biological activities can be attributed to the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Overall, the findings suggest that Swertia chirata possesses significant antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-acne potential, supporting its traditional medicinal use and highlighting its prospects for development into natural therapeutic agents.
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