BIOCHEMICAL STUDY OF AN ENDANGERED ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANT CURCULIGO ORCHIOIDES GAERTN. OCCURRING IN PURULIA DISTRICT OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Ethnic peoples from Purulia district of West Bengal in India use a lot of plants for their primary health care without studying phytochemical analysis and biological activities in detail. Main objectives of the present study are to evaluate the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of the whole plant extract of Curculigo orchioides using polar and nonpolar solvents. Total phenol content (TPC) was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu assay using Gallic acid (GA) as standard and total flavonoid content (TFC) by AlCl3 method using quercetin as standard. The antibacterial screening was carried out by agar well diffusion method. Methanol extracts exhibit higher phenol (82.93 ± 2.74 mg of GA E/gm of the sample), flavonoid (48.41 ± 1.94 mg of QE/gm of the sample) and alkaloid (5.56 ± 1.56%) content in comparison to other solvents. Similarly, methanol extracts show higher free radicals scavenging property and there was a positive correlation between IC50 values with total phenol and flavonoid content. A positive correlation exists in total phenol and flavonoid with antioxidant activities. The plant contains high phenolic and flavonoid content and exhibits antibacterial and antioxidant activities support the ethnomedicinal value of the plant. INTRODUCTION: Plants have been used medicinally since prehistoric times. Although, after the discovery of the synthetic drug, the use of natural medicines has decreased drastically. However, synthetic drugs have some side effects 1 , allergic reactions 2 . So, humans seek some alternative source of medicine. Tribals from a rural area of Purulia district are mainly dependent on medicinal plants for their primary health care. One such traditionally used plant is Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. (Hypoxidaceae) commonly known as kalimusli, known in Purulia it as talmuli, is an important endangered medicinal plant used by the tribal people from all over the district for the treatment of carbuncle and cancer. QUICK RESPONSE CODE DOI: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.10(5).2417-22 The article can be accessed online on www.ijpsr.com DOI link: http://dx.doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.10(5).2417-22 The plant is a small annual herb characterized by the yellowish flower, blackish tuberous primary root with dense lateral roots, aerial part possessing numerous linear leaves arranged in rosettes. According to WHO 80% world population relies on traditional medicines for the treatment of common illness 3 . At present, phytochemicals are more in demand in comparison to synthetic drugs due to its fewer side effects, lesser immuno-suppressive activity and wide use for the treatment of several diseases 4 . The rhizome of C. orchioides possesses immune stimulant potential 5 , hepatoprotective 6 , antioxidant 7 , and platelet regeneration effect 8 . The present study emphasizes on antibacterial activity against three strains of bacteria, antioxidant activity, total phenol and flavonoid content of the whole plant of Curculigo orchioides. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plant Materials: Plant Fig. 1 is obtained from the forest area of Bandwan in Purulia district, West Bengal, India and is identified with the help of