Qualitative and Quantitative Phytochemical Screening and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Different Parts of Rubus ellipticus Sm.

Free radicals are molecules with reactive unpaired electrons which are produced during cell metabolism and create the oxidative stress inside tissue resulting in tissue damage. The aim of the present study was qualitative and quantitative phytochemical screening, determination of total phenolic and total flavonoid content, and free radical scavenging activity of different parts of ethnomedicinally used Rubus ellipticus Sm. plant. Root, stem, and leaves of Rubus ellipticus Sm. were collected from Annapurna Rural Municipality, Kaski, Western Nepal. Ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts of the plant parts were obtained by subsequent maceration process. The phytochemical screening of most of the extract showed the presence of phenols, carbohydrates, flavonoids, and glycosides. The ethanolic extract of stem showed the higher phenolic content with the value of 343.75 ± 2.21 µg GAE/mg. Ethanolic extract of stem had the highest amount of flavonoid content (1563.17 ± 10.79 µg QE/mg of extract), whereas all the ethyl acetate extracts of root, leaves and stem showed comparable flavonoid content. Ethanolic extracts of leaves showed potent DPPH free radical scavenging activity with IC50 value of 5.03µg/ml while ethyl acetate extract of stem showed the maximum free radical scavenging properties. The result depicted that the ethanolic extract of Rubus ellipticus Sm. showed the potent antioxidant activity by scavenging free radicals.