Phytopharmacognostic Investigation and Evaluation of Antioxidant Properties of Leaves and Bark of Heterophragma Adenophyllum

Heterophragma adenophyllum is a traditional medicinal tree occurring in both tropical and sub tropical regions of the world and is important for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. The physicochemical, phytochemical and antioxidant activity of total methanolic extract of leaves and bark of Heterophragma adenophyllumwere investigated. The total ash, water soluble, acid insoluble, alcohol soluble extractive, water soluble extractive, moisture content and fluorescence property of Heterophragma adenophyllumleaf and barkpowder were evaluated. Phytochemical screenings of oven dried extracts were performed to check the presence of various phytoconstituents. The leaf methanolic oven dried extract showed the presence of carbohydrates, phenolic, flavonoids, anthraquinones, alkaloids and amino acids were as bark methanolic oven dried extract shows presence of phenolic, carbohydrats and flavenoids.  The capacity of antioxidant property of both the methanolic extract was evaluated by using DPPH and Superoxide anion radical scavenging assay. Total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were estimated to quantify the presence of phenolic content in extracts. The leaf total methanolic oven dried extract showed higher antioxidant activity compared to bark methanolic oven dried extract and thus, the outcome of the present study suggest that the therapeutic activities of leaf methanolic extract of heterophragma adenophyllumcan be attributed to its antioxidant property.