Abstract:
Ricinus communis is widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions throughout the world and widely used in traditional medicine. It is used as hepatoprotective, laxative, antidiabetic, antifertility, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, wound healing, insecticidal and many other medicinal applications. The present study was carried out on the petroleum ether, chloroform: methanol (1:1) and methanol extracts obtained by soaking the powdered leaves of Ricinus communis for 72 hour. The extracts were analyzed for phytochemical constituent, DPPH radical scavenging potential, total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenol content (TPC) and antibacterial potential. Standard phytochemical analysis methods showed the presence of alkaloid, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, phenols, glycoside and steroid in the leaf extracts of Ricinus communis. Free radical scavavenging activity assay using DPPH showed that the methanol extract exhibited maximum radical scavenging activity from 63.11± 0.269% to 82.62 ± 0.073% comparable to that of ascorbic acid. The minimum radical scavenging activity was exhibited by petroleum ether extract (from 34.68 ± 0.034% to 49.86 ± 0.769%). Total phenolic contents (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method and aluminum chloride colorimetric methods respectively. Total phenol content of petroleum ether, chloroform: methanol (1:1) and methanol extract were 99.14±0.0006, 614.9±0.0059 and 124.86±0.0008 mg GAE/g of dry extract respectively whereas total flavonoid content were 27.46±0.0009, 36.5±0.0008 and 41.04±0.0039 mg QE/g of dry extract respectively. All the three extracts were tested against two gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus) and two gram negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi) bacteria by Kirby-Bauer standard disc diffusion method. All extracts showed growth inhibition against most of the tested bacteria.
Keywords: Ricinus communis, phytochemical constituent, total phenol content, total flavonoid content, radical scavenging activity.