IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES, ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS AND SOME BIOACTIVE CONSTITUENTS OF ACALYPHA WILKESIANA MUELLARG AND ACALYPHA WILKESIANA JAVA WHITE LEAF EXTRACTS.

Abstract

Acalypha wilkesiana is a useful medicinal plant which has different cultivars; among which are Acalypha wilkesiana muellarg and Acalypha  wilkesiana java white. This study investigated the in vitro antioxidant properties, elemental composition and some bioactive constituents of Acalypha wilkesiana muellarg and Acalypha wilkesiana java white leave extract, using phytochemical, elemental, Infrared (IR) spectroscopy and Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopic (GC-MS) methods. The content of total phenols in aqueous extracts of Acalypha wilkesiana java white (59.0 ± 0.06 mg/g) was more than that of Acalypha wilkesiana muellarg (57.0 ± 0.06mg/g).Qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed that both cultivars contained the same phytochemicals constituents. Acalypha wilkesiana java white extract showed the strongest ABTS (2,2’ – azino – bis – 3 – ethyl benzthiazoline–6–sulphonic acid) radical scavenging activity at a concentration of 0.2mg/ml (80.21%) when compared with standard. The GC-MS analysis of the two cultivars of Acalypha wilkesiana revealed mostly the presence of straight chain alkanes. Elemental analysis revealed considerable amount of copper (0.012mg/g), iron (0.433mg/g), zinc (0.125mg/g) and magnesium (0.042mg/g) in Acalypha wilkesiana muellarg, while that of Acalypha wilkesiana java white were copper (0.013mg/g), iron (0..430mg/g), zinc (0.108mg/g) and magnesium (0.062mg/g). Data generated showed that both cultivars are good antioxidants, thus makes them to be potential candidates for further in vitro and in vivo evaluations. Keywords: Acalypha wilkesiana, antioxidant, bioactive constituents, free radicals, leaf extract