Anti-oxidant, anti-proliferative activities and characterization of secondary metabolites using Q-TOF-LC-MS/MS analysis of anti-aging medicinal plant Holostemma ada-kodien

Holostemma ada-kodien rhizome is being used for a variety of therapeutic activities especially as a rejuvenative drug for promoting anti-aging properties in traditional Indian medicine. Various in vitro anti-oxidant and anti-proliferative activities of rhizome were analyzed. Detailed LC/MS analysis was done for identifying major chemical constituents. Hydro alcohol extract of H. ada-kodien rhizome showed capable results in DPPH and ABTS scavenging, nitric oxide quenching, reducing power and ferric reducing power antioxidant assays. Extract showed promising anti-proliferative activity in HeLa cell line with an IC50 value 53 µg/ml. In Q-TOF-LC-MS/MS analysis of the hydro alcohol extract, twenty five compounds were identified using their molecular ions and fragmentation pattern. From rhizome, thirteen phenolic acids were identified and most of them were cinnamic acid and benzoic acid derivatives. A coumarin, eleven flavonoids and their glycosides were also identified from the extract. Phenolic acids and their glycosides were found most abundant compounds in extract. Most of the identified compounds were well known antioxidants, and capable of countering reactive free radicals and that might be the reason for rejuvenative and protective behavior of rhizome. The study highlights the unexplored therapeutic activities and major chemical constituents in H. ada-kodien rhizome for the first time. © 2022, The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Society for Plant Research.