Abstract

This study evaluated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cholinesterase and cytotoxic activities of extracts with different polarities (hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol and methanol) obtained from Ocimum sanctum leaves. Total phenolics (8.8–127.3 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight), flavonoids (1.2–76.9 mg quercetin equivalent/g dry weight), tannins (63.7–260.8 mg catechin equivalent/kg dry weight) and anthocyanins (0.41–3.73 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent/g dry weight) of different extracts were evaluated. 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibition activities were obtained for the ethanol extract (IC₅₀ values of 6.20, 14.83 and 2.65 mg/l, respectively) and the best cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 cells was obtained for the methanol extract (IC₅₀ = 31 mg/l). These important biological activities showed that Ocimum sanctum leaves could be a potential source of the active molecules intended for applications in pharmaceutical industry, but only after additional in vivo experiments.

Keywords

Ocimum sanctum, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Cholinesterase, Extraction

Cite This Article

Basak, P., Mallick, P., Mazumder, S., & Verma, A. S. (2014). Assessment of Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Cholinesterase and Cytotoxic Activities of Tulsi (Ocimum Sanctum) Leaves. International Journal for Pharmaceutical Research Scholars (IJPRS), 3(1), 762-771.