Phytochemical Analysis and Radical Scavenging Activity of the Extracts of Costus picatus Linn and Coccinia indica W and A, two Ethnic Medicinal Plants used in the Treatment of Diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Costus picatus (Costaceae) leaves and the whole plant of Coccinia indica (Cucurbitaceae) are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus in Indian ethnic system of medicine. There are previous phytochemical reports from fruits, seeds, flowers and leaves of Coccinia indica. The stem has remained uninvestigated so far. Polar extract of Costus picatus has been investigated but the non-polar fractions have received scant attention. Since these plants are used as medicine for diabetes an examination of the stem of Coccinia indica and non polar fraction of Costus picatus are also found necessary. This work on the methanolic extract of the stem of Coccinia indica and the hexane extract of the leaves of Costus picatus reports the isolation of lupeol acetate, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, and 3β, 24, 25- trihydroxycycloartane from Costus picatus and docos- 1-ol, docos-8-one, β-sitosterol and betulin from Coccinia indica. Docos-1-ol and docos-8-one are being reported for the first time from natural source and lupeol acetate, stigmasterol, 3β, 24, 25- trihydroxycycloartane and betulin for the first time from these plants. The structure elucidations were done by IR, ¹HNMR,¹³C NMR, ¹H-¹³C INEPT NMR and FAB MS techniques. The radical scavenging activities of the extracts were studied with DPPH using UV-Visible bio spectrophotometer. The radical scavenging activity of Costus picatus is not reported till date.