Original Articles: 2015 Vol: 7 Issue: 10
A study on invitro antioxidants, antimicrobial, antileukemia activities of Cocos nucifera(coconut) female flowers
Abstract
The present study was conducted to document the kno wledge of better health benefits of Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Female flowers. The waste fallen flowers can be use d in ayurvedic preparations in the place of inflore scence. This studies showed that , the fallen female flowers of Cocos nucifera can be used as antimicrobial agents , to a slight extend as antitumorals and has high antioxidant act ivity too. On comparing with both the fresh and dri ed sample, the acetone : water extract of fresh has high pheno lic content and was less in the case of dried samp le . And it is seen that the combination of organic solvents with that of water gives better extractives than organic solvents alone in the case of fresh sample. But in the case of dri ed sample the single organic solvents are better th an combinations in the case of yield of the extractives as well as the activity. On comparing both the fresh and dried sample , the acetone :water extract of fresh sample possess a hi gh DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate) sc avenging activity , may take place rapidly with lower amount s of the fresh sample than that of dried sample. ABTS (2,2 ′ -azino- bis (3-ethyl benz thiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) cation decolorisation capacity was found to be hig h in acetone : water extract. The other extracts like ethyl acetat e : water, ethanol : water, water shows a low deco lourisation capacity. In the case of dried sample, methanol ext ract possess a maximum decolourisation capacity whi le other extracts shows low decolourisation capacity. On com paring both the samples, the ABTS decolourisation c apacity was more promising to fresh sample than the dried s ample. Antimicrobial activity of ethyl acetate : wa ter (fresh) and ethyl acetate (dried sample) extract of Cocos n ucifera female flowers were tested in three bacteri a namely Staphylococcos aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus s ubtilis. Among these three bacteria, the extracts showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcos aureu s, and was found to be inactive for other organisms . The extract exhibits a potent anti-staphylococcal activity. Pro bable compounds responsible for the bioactivity wer e identified by means of HPTLC analysis. Their structures were dedu ced as 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (chlorogenic acid), dicaffeoylquinic acid and three tentative isomers o f caffeoyl shikimic acid. the ethyl acetate : water extract is showing better % cytotoxicity, out of the dried sam ple extract of the female flowers, when different c oncentration of the same are subjected for % cytotoxicity against K -562, the Human Leukemia cell lines. And it is clea r from the data that the antitumor activity of the dried sampl e extract namely ethyl acetate extract is less than that of the fresh female flower extract. There is a concentration dependent increase in the percen tage of cyto toxicity of the fractions. The Purified fraction may be found to be more effec tive. This study concluded that fresh sample of Cocos nuc ifera has high antioxidant potential than the dried sampl e. In the case of anti tumour screening there is a concentration dependent increase in the percentage of cytotoxicit y of the fractions against K562,the leukemic cell l ines. Thus the waste products, the fallen fertilized female flower s have also a better position in the place of medic inal plants .