Free radical scavenging, immunomodulatory activity and chemical composition of luffa acutangula var: Amara (cucurbitaceae) pericarp

• KALASKAR MOHAN G. ^[1] ; SURANA SANJAY J. ^[1]
  1. [1] Patel institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Department of Pharmacognosy
• Localización: Journal of the Chilean Chemical Society (Boletín de la Sociedad Chilena de Química), ISSN-e 0717-6309, ISSN 0366-1644, Vol. 59, Nº. 1, 2014, págs. 2299-2302
• Idioma: inglés
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  • The Luffa acutangula Var. amara (Cucurbitaceae) is climbing shrub; commonly known as wild ridge gourd. Its aerial parts are used traditionally in diverse health ailments. Four successive extracts of L. amara pericarp (LAP) were evaluated for antioxidant using in vitro for DPPH, ABTS, superoxides radical, reducing power and phosphomolybdenum assay. The bioactive ethanol extract was evaluated for immunomodulatory activity by in vivo phagocytosis using carbon clearance and neutrophil adhesion test. The bioactive ethanolic extracts showed potent in vitro antioxidant ability, increased phagocytic index (0.028 ± 0.002), and increased the % neutrophil adhesion (24.63 ± 0.87%). Furthermore, the potent plant phenolics such as gallic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were isolated and identified spectroscopically. The presence of these plant phenolics and like constituents would be responsible for their potent antioxidant and immunomodulatory activity.