Evaluation of the antioxidant and in vitro cytotoxic activity of Averrhoa carambola, Aegle marmelos and Spondias pinnata leaf extracts

Abstract

Three typically grown Bangladeshi fruit trees, Averrhoa carambola L, Spondias pinnata and Aegle marmelos possess various therapeutically important properties and their different parts have been experimented for antioxidant and cytotoxicity activities in various studies. Antioxidants help prevent free radicals from harming our body with various degenerative diseases by donating electrons. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals and reduce the damage in cells before oxidants can attack. The objective of this study was to evaluate the three fruit plants leaf extracts and to find their antioxidant content and also In vitro cytotoxic activity using HeLa cell line. This study may allow us to get a comprehensive analysis on their individual activities and show susceptible results which will help in further research prospective. As they are typically grown in Bangladeshi environment and are readily available, they can be screened to find out which of them contain the highest amount of antioxidant and cytotoxic properties. Dried powdered leaves of Averrhoa carambola L, Spondias pinnata and A. marmelos were extracted using a Soxhlet apparatus using, n-hexane, petroleum ether, methanol and chloroform. The extracts were tested for CUPRAC reducing capacity, total antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content and total flavonoid content. Cytotoxic analysis was done using HeLa cell line and cell viability was checked. All three methanolic leaf extracts of the fruits plants showed the highest CUPRAC reducing capacity when compared against the standard (BHT). For both Averrhoa carambola L and A. marmelos, petroleum ether extract showed the highest antioxidant content; 105.8mg/gm, 89.4mg/gm; n-hexane extract showed the highest phenol content; 212.4mg/gm, 686mg/gm and methanol extract showed the highest flavonoid content; 171.6mg/gm, 146mg/gm. For Spondias pinnata, chloroform extract showed the highest total antioxidant content; 122mg/gm, petroleum ether extract showed the highest phenol content; 280.6mg/gm and methanol extract showed the highest flavonoid content; 189.5mg/gm. In vitro cytotoxicity test revealed that all extracts of A. marmelos showed <1% viability of HeLa cells, followed by Averrhoa carambola L extracts, while Spondias pinnata extracts showed the least cell death. It can be suggested that both Averrhoa carambola L and A. marmelos extracts showed promising results than Spondias pinnata and they can be further analysed in a more diverse manner.