PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, GC-MS ANALYSIS, ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIOXIDANT, TPC, TFC, AND CYTOTOXICITY ANALYSIS OF EXTRACTS AND ESSENTIAL OIL OF AEGLE MARMELOS (L.) CORREA

Abstract

Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa (Rutaceae family), also known as the Bel fruit tree, is a widely distributed plant and is found in Nepal, Bangladesh, India, China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, etc. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the phytochemicals and bio-activities of extracts and essential oil of A. marmelos. The A. marmelos leaves were successively extracted using methanol, hexane, and chloroform organic solvents. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of methanol and chloroform extracts of A. marmelosleaves confirmed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, phenols, flavonoids, protein, and tannin. GC MS analysis of crude chloroform extract showed 9 different major compounds among which Limonene dioxide (27.78 %) and Germacrene B (20.65 %) were the most abundant. The IC50 value of the chloroform extract against DPPH was found to be 308.21 μg/mL. The result showed that the total phenolic and flavonoid content in A. marmelos leaves with the value 58.36 mg gallic acid equivalent and 142.29 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dry extract respectively. The extract also exhibited higher toxicity against brine shrimp with the LC50 value of 157.50 μg/mL. The essential oil by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC-MS for its composition and exhibited the presence of 12 different compounds. The most abundant were Limonene (25.06 %) and Germacrene B (18.63 %). Antibacterial activity was performed against six bacterial species and Bacillus subtilis was susceptible to the essential oil showing zone of inhibition (ZOI) 7 mm. The IC50 value of the essential oil against DPPH was found to be 13.63 mg/mL. The total phenolic content and flavonoid content in the essential oil of A. marmelos leaves were found to be 10.65 mg gallic acid equivalent and 3.27 mg quercetin equivalent/g of essential oil respectively. The toxicity of essential oil of A. marmelos tested by brine shrimp lethality (LC50) was found to be 58.17 μg/mL.