Phytochemical Study and Antioxidant Properties of Ethanolic Extracts of Euphorbia milii

Abstract

Background and Objective: Phytochemical study is an important step which leads to the isolation of new and novel compounds. An ornamental plant Euphorbia milii (Euphorbiaceae) plays a pivotal role in folk medicine. The present study was conducted with purpose of phytochemical screening and evaluation of antioxidant properties E. milii extracts. Materials and Methods: Thorn and stem parts of E. milii were selected for phytochemical screening and subjected to selected solvent extraction by continuous hot extraction (Soxhlet) with ethanol. The major phytochemicals found in ethanol extracts of thorn and stem parts of E. milii were, steroids/phytosterols, anthocyanin and betacyanin, terpenoids, flavonoids and tannins, the total antioxidant, DPPH free radical scavenging activities and also studied Infrared (IR) spectroscopy to know the functional group of the crude extract. Results: The qualitative phytochemical studies have clearly shown, presence of alkaloids only in ethanolic extracts of thorn part of E. milii and cardiac glycosides, proteins and amino acids were present only in ethanolic extracts of stem part of E. milii. The IC50 values exhibited by ethanol extracts of thorn and stem parts of E. milii was 187.91 and 138.44, respectively. The IR spectroscopy of the extracts of E. milii confirms the presence of OH, saturated CH stretching, C=C, C=O, NO2, C-N, Ar-O, C-O- and R-O stretching. Conclusion: The preliminary study confirms that the E. milii has vide variety of secondary metabolites. Biological activity such as antioxidant properties of ethanol extracts of thorn and stem parts of plant depicted that E. milii could be potential drug agent of folk medicines.