Evolution of Cytotoxicity, Antioxidant, and Antimicrobial Studies of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) Roots Extracts

For health care over three-quarters of the world population mainly relies on plants and plant extracts. In this research work percentage yield, qualitative and quantitative analysis of phytochemicals, antioxidant ability, antimicrobial activity and cytotoxic effects of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) root extracts were analyzed. Roots of selected plant were extracted by socking in polarity base solvents i.e. n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and methanol. As a result of the qualitative determination of phytochemicals flavonoids, saponin, tannins and phlobatannins found to be present, while alkaloids, steroids, cardiac glycosides and terpenoids found to be absent. Spectroscopic methods were used to determine total phenolic contents 7.58-126.04 Gallic acid equivalent mg/100g of dry extracts and flavonoid contents 1.71-25.4 Catechin equivalent mg/100g of dry extracts. The antioxidant capacity of plant extracts of free radical scavenging by DPPH, percentage inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation and reducing power assays were carried out. BHT was used as a positive control in the percentage scavenging assay. The percentage free radical scavenging by DPPH (having concentration 0.025 g/L) was found in the range of 80.13-86.74 %. The percentage inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation was also analysed. Antimicrobial activity was studied in all extracts against selected bacteria (Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis) and fungal strains (Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus solani). Hemolytic activity was also determined in plant extracts and maximum percentage of lysis was found as 1.582 % by methanol extract, while the minimum percentage of lysis was 0.010 % for n-hexane extract.