ANTIOXIDANT, CYTOTOXIC AND PHYTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE ETHANOL EXTRACT OF PIPER BETLE LEAF

The use of natural products for the treatment of various diseases has a long history. In the present study, the anti-oxidative, cytotoxic and phytochemical properties of ethanol extract of a local variety of Piper betle leaves cultivated in Potia, Bangladesh has been investigated. The antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of the Piper betle ethanol extract were evaluated by DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging method and brine shrimp lethality bioassay method, respectively. Preliminary phytochemical group tests were also done to investigate the phytochemical properties of the extract. Leaf extract showed significant DPPH free radical scavenging effect compared to standard antioxidant ascorbic acid. IC50 value of ascorbic acid and leaf extract was found 1.81 mu g/ml and 151.36 mu g/ml respectively. In brine shrimp lethality bioassay LC50 value of Piper betle ethanol extract was found 274.63862 mu g/ml with 95% confidence limit where the lower and upper limits were 198.39 mu g/ml and 387.18 mu g/ml respectively, which indicates that the Piper betle leaf extract has promising cytotoxic effect. Phytochemical analysis was found to be positive for alkaloid, glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins and saponins. The present study demonstrates that ethanol extract of Piper betle Linn. Leaf has significant antioxidant and cytotoxic effect.