Assessment of the Biomolecules Profiles and In-Vitro Biological Activities of Cymbopogon citratus Roots

The medicinal value of plants lies in their bioactive constituents which usually allow them to act as remedy to several ailments. The present study determines the biochemical constituents as well as various in - vitro biological activities of the materia medica of Cymbopogon citratus root. The antioxidant properties of test plant root were estimated using standard analytical procedures, while antibacterial activity was assayed using agar- well diffusion techniques. Proximate analyses of ethanol and aqueous extracts of sample revealed that the sample contains significant amount of moisture, crude protein, ash content, crude fat, carbohydrate and crude fibre. Root extracts of Cymbopogon citratus revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, anthraquinones, steroids, phenols and flavonoids at varying concentrations, helping to deactivate and absorb free radicals. Thus, both ethanol and aqueous extracts of the plant have high antioxidant activity and are good radical scavengers. Assay for in - vitro antioxidant properties showed that the root of Cymbopogon citratus has very potent antioxidant ability and produced concentration dependent increase in antioxidant activity. The ethanol root extract also exhibited antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi but inactive on Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus obtained from clinical source. The amounts of phytochemicals, antioxidant and antibacterial activities were observed more in ethanol extract compared to aqueous extract. The study concludes that Cymbopogon citratus root is a potential nutraceutical effective as materia medica in salmonellosis and hence can boost research in nutrition and herbal medicine.