SCIENTIFIC VALIDATION OF SOME NEPALESE MEDICINAL PLANTS FROM NANGLE BHARE OF KATHMANDU, NEPAL

Objective: The present study was designed to provide scientific support for the medicinal properties of traditionally used medicinal plants of Nangle Bhare, Kathmandu, Nepal. Methods: Plant extracts were prepared by cold percolation method using methanol solvent. Analysis of phytochemical constituents was carried out using standard methods. The brine shrimp toxicity assay for each extract was carried out according to Mayer et al. The 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhyrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay were used to evaluate in vitro antioxidants activities. The antimicrobial activity of the plant extracts was carried by the disc diffusion method. Results: Phytochemical analysis revealed the availability of secondary metabolites such as reducing compounds, glycosides, and flavonoids in the methanolic extract of eight plants, namely, frond of Cheilanthes farinosa, leaves of Lyonia ovalifolia, leaves and roots of Rumex nepalensis, aerial stem of Equisetum debile, roots of Coix lacrema-jobi, leaves of Justica adhatoda, leaves of Osyris wightiana, and roots of Rubus ellipticus collected from Nangle Bhare village of Kathmandu district. The brine shrimp bioassay revealed that roots and leaves of R. nepalensis only exhibited lethality against brine shrimp. Frond of C. farinosa and roots of R. nepalensis exhibited good antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Both DPPH and FRAP assays showed that among the plant under study, R. ellipticus has lower inhibitory concentration IC50 values than other plants such as L. ovalifolia, R. nepalensis, and C. farinose. Conclusions: On the basis of this study, it was found that scientifically only four, namely C. farinosa, L. ovalifolia, R. nepalensis, and R. ellipticus have medicinal potentials.