Bioactivity evaluation of least explored traditionally acclaimed medicinally potent herb Nanorrhinum ramosissimum(Wall.) Betsche

Abstract Present study analysed the therapeutic potential of traditionally acclaimed medicinal herb Nanorrhinum ramosissimum, using plant parts extracted with different solvents (10 mg/mL). Shoot extracts exhibited comparatively better antimicrobial properties, in comparison to root extracts. Total phenolic content was estimated, to ascertain its dependency on antioxidant properties of plant extracts. Antioxidant assay revealed promising results in comparison to IC50 value of standard ascorbic acid (52.2±0.07 µg/mL), for methanolic extracts of shoot (61.07±0.53 µg/mL and 64.33±0.33 µg/mL) and root (76.705±0.12 µg/mL and 89.73±0.28 µg/ mL) for in vivo and in vitro regenerants respectively. Correlation coefficient R2 values ranged between 0.90-0.95, indicating a positive correlation between phenolic contents and antioxidant activity. Plant extracts were also able to inhibit DNA oxidative damage again indicating their antioxidative potential. Antidiabetic potential was confirmed by alpha amylase inhibition assay where shoot methanolic extracts (invivo, in vitro) exhibited the best IC50 values (54.42±0.16 µg/mL, 66.09±0.12 µg/mL) in comparison to standard metformin (41.92±0.08 µg/mL). Ethanolic extracts of roots (in vitro, invivo) exhibited the relative IC50 values (88.97±0.32µg/mL,96.63±0.44 µg/mL) indicating that shoot parts had a better alpha amylase inhibition property; thus proving the herb’s bioactive potential and its prospective therapeutic source for curing various ailments.