Cytogenotoxic effect, phytochemical screening and antioxidant potential of Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill leaves

Phytochemical profile, antioxidant potential, total phenolic content and cytogenotoxic effect (Allium cepa test) were assessed in hexane (HE), ethyl acetate (EA) and methanol (ME) extracts of Jatropha mollissima leaves. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of triterpenes in HE, which were also observed in conjunction with flavonoids in EA. Saponins, catechins, phenols, tannins, flavonoids, flavones, flavonols and xanthones were present in ME. The highest antioxidant activity, determined by DPPH free radical scavenging and ABTS assay, and total phenol contents were recorded for ME, followed by EA and HE. All the fractions were cytotoxic in the A. cepa assay, with a significant decline in the mitotic index for HE and EA, whereas proliferative activity in terms of increased mitotic index was observed for ME. ME at concentrations of 1 and 10 mg/mL also caused chromosomal alterations, primarily formation of micronuclei. The study concluded that ME at the lower concentrations (0.01 and 0.1 mg/mL) is promising as an antioxidant, since it did not present a cytogenotoxic effect. HE and EA may be promising in studies of antitumor activity, since all concentrations evaluated inhibited cell division in A. cepa cells and did not present genotoxic activity. (C) 2019 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.