Open AccessBiochemical profile and bioactive potential of thirteen wild folk medicinal plants from Balochistan, Pakistan
Author(s) -
Alia Ahmed,
Amjad Hameed,
Saira Saeed
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0231612
Subject(s) - peganum harmala , ascorbic acid , traditional medicine , carotenoid , catalase , biology , tannin , superoxide dismutase , lycopene , medicinal plants , food science , botany , antioxidant , chemistry , biochemistry , medicine
The recent focus is on the analysis of biological activities of extracts from thirteen folk medicinal plants from arid and semi-arid zones of Balochistan, Pakistan. Only a small proportion of them have been scientifically analyzed. Therefore the present investigation explores the biochemical and bioactive potential of different plant parts. Superoxide dismutase was detected maximum in Fagonia indica , (184.7±5.17 units/g), ascorbate peroxidase in Tribulus pentandrus (947.5±12.5 units/g), catalase and peroxidase were higher in Peganum harmala (555.0±5.0 and 2597.8±0.4 units/g, respectively). Maximum esterase and α-amylase activity was found in Zygophyllum fabago (14.3±0.44 and 140±18.8 mg/g, respectively). Flavonoid content was high in T . pentandrus (666.1±49 μg/ml). The highest total phenolic content and tannin was revealed in F . olivieri (72125±425 and 37050±1900 μM/g, respectively). The highest value of ascorbic acid was depicted in F . bruguieri (F.b.N) (448±1.5 μg/g). Total soluble proteins and reducing sugars were detected higher in P . harmala (372.3±54 and 5.9±0.1 mg/g, respectively). The maximum total antioxidant capacity was depicted in Tetraena simplex (16.9±0.01 μM/g). The highest value of lycopene and total carotenoids exhibited in T . terrestris (7.44±0.2 and 35.5±0.0 mg/g, respectively). Chlorophyll contents were found maximum in T . pentandrus var. pterophorus (549.1±9.9, 154.3±10, and 703.4±20.2 ug/g, respectively). All taxa exhibited anti-inflammatory activity and anti-diabetic potential. Z . eurypterum seeds exhibited the highest anti-inflammatory potential (96%), along with other taxa indicated (96–76%) activity when compared with the standard drug diclofenac sodium (79%). Seeds of T . pentandrus (85%) exhibited the highest anti-diabetic activity. The other taxa also exhibited inhibitory activity of α-amylase ranging from (85–69%) compared with Metformin (67%) standard drug. Phytochemical screening revealed that selected taxa proved to be the potential source of natural antioxidants and could further be explored for in-vivo studies and utilized in pharmaceutical industries as potent therapeutic agents validating their ethno-pharmacological uses.