Stem bark extract

ABSTRACTBauhinia variegata (Family: Fabaceae) is well-known medicinal plant used from the ancient era to till date for their medicinal values. The powerful biological activities as exhibited by plant flavonoids posed the need of determining their contents in B. variegata stem bark. In view of its wide use and its chemical compositions, this study was aimed at examining and comparative analysis of the antioxidant and anticancer activities of the different extracts of stem bark. Antioxidant activity of extracts was expressed as percentage of DPPH, super oxide and nitric oxide free radicals inhibition and expressed asIC50 values (?g/mL). Methanolic extracts of B. variegata showed the highest amount of and ?avonoid contents and reducing capacity whereas, chloroform and dichloromethane extracts of B. variegata showed pronounced cytotoxic effect against HCT-116, A549 and ethyl acetate extracts showed pronounced cytotoxic effect against Ovcer-5 human cancer cell lines. The order of antioxidant activity in B. variegata extracts displayed from higher to lower level as methanol, hydro-alcoholic, ethyl acetate, chloroform, dichloromethane and n-hexane extracts of stem bark of B. variegata. Commercial standards were taken as control showed highest antioxidant power in the present study. Chemical components of B. variegata have good antioxidant capacities and this species could be used as a potential source of new natural antioxidants. Keywords: Antioxidant; Bauhinia variegata; Cytotoxicity; Stem bark extract; Total flavonoids.