Qualitative and Quantitative Determination of Secondary Metabolites and Antioxidant Potential of Centaurea behen L. Root Extracts

Abstract

Plants have been used by humans as a natural source for treatments and cures since ancient times, and medicinal herbs have gained popularity due to their widespread usage and lack of adverse effects. Plant study has grown in popularity across the world in recent years, and a large body of data has been gathered to demonstrate the enormous potential of medicinal plants employed in diverse traditional systems. Centaurea behen L (C. behen) is a South Asian root that belongs to the Astarcease family and is known as Safed Behman. C. behen is used to treat brain, heart, and liver weakness, as well as palpitation, hepatitis, melancholia, sexual debility, neurasthenia, spermatorrhoea, weariness, and stomach and bowel problems. It is also a heart tonic and is used to treat jaundice. Several sesqueterpene lactones, the guaianolides cyanraopicrin, augerin B, desacylcynaropicrin, grosshemin, and traces of a ketone closely related to solstitialin A were found in aerial sections of C. behen. The goal of this study was to assess in vitro antioxidant activity, as well as qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses of C. behen root gathered in the Bhopal region of Madhya Pradesh. The well-known test methodology was used to determine qualitative analysis of various phytochemical ingredients and quantitative analysis of total flavonoids. The antioxidant activity of an ethyl acetate extract of the roots was tested in vitro using conventional techniques against DPPH and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging assays. Phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, and other phytochemicals were discovered by phytochemical investigation. Ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous root extract of C. behen contained 0.740, 0.381, and 0.465 mg/100mg of total flavonoids, respectively. The anti-DPPH and anti-NO actions of ethyl acetate extracts were concentration dependant. The plant's broad variety of phytochemicals implies that it has medicinal potential, which might be investigated in the pharmaceutical sector as well as in traditional medicine.