BIOACTIVE POTENTIAL OF CORYDALIS GOVANIANA VAR. SWATENSIS: PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILING AND IN VITRO BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION

Abstract

The Corydalis govaniana var. swatensis, a Himalayan plant of interest, is found to have interesting phytochemical composition and biological activity. The purpose of the present study was to examine the preliminary phytochemical profile, along with its in vitro biological activity of the methanolic extract. 12.84% of the extract was obtained. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, glycosides, and carbohydrates; but no evidence of the presence of steroids, protein, or anthraquinones under the set conditions was detected. Quantitative analysis showed that the amount of total phenolics present in the extract was 68.42 ± 2.31 mg GAE/g extract while the amount of total flavonoids present in the extract was 41.76 ± 1.84 mg QE/g extract. The DPPH radical-scavenging activity of the extract was concentration dependent with an IC₅₀ value of 92.64 µg/mL. Antibacterial activity was found against tested bacterial strains, giving a zone of inhibition between 11.36 ± 0.51 to 18.14 ± 0.67 mm. Antifungal test activities showed inhibition of growth between 32.65 ± 1.42 % to 41.56 ± 1.31 % respectively. The brine shrimp lethality assay showed that the LC₅₀ is 486.31µg/mL, which gave a toxic activity, whereas the α-amylase inhibition assay gave an IC₅₀ value of 214.58µg/mL. Overall it is seen that the methanolic extract of C. govaniana var. swatensis shows antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-fungal, preliminary toxicity related and α-amylase inhibitory activity under the experimental conditions used. In the present study, however, the identity of each of the specific bioactive compounds or their precise roles in the activities observed are not determined. For chemical characterization and biological potential analysis it is necessary to perform further studies on this plant extract, which should include chromatographic analysis, toxicological profile validations, mechanistic studies, and in vivo evaluation.