We have prepared various extracts from the leaves of M. umbellatum plant, analyzed the phytochemical contents and screened for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The M. umbellatum plant belongs to Melastomaceae family and was collected from Hulikal region of Western Ghats, Hosanagara, Karnataka. The voucher specimen is kept in the department of botany, Kuvempu University. The plant leaves were thoroughly washed with distilled water, selleck chemicals llc shade dried and crushed well to make it as a fine powder. The extracts were prepared in different solvents of various polarities (i.e., petroleum ether

bp 40–60 °C, chloroform and methanol). A known weight of the finely crushed powder was successively extracted

with the solvents of various polarities by using Soxhlet apparatus. The apparatus was made to run for 48 cycles or until the solvent becomes colorless in the timble. The weight of the powder was recorded every time before and after the Soxhlet extraction. PLX-4720 mouse The solvent extracts were concentrated under reduced pressure and stored at 4 °C until use. The concentrated extracts were used for assaying phytochemical constituents, antioxidant property, antibacterial and antifungal activity. Total phenolic content of the extracts were determined according to the method of Folin–Ciocalteu. The absorbance of the solution was recorded at 765 nm and tannic acid was used as the standard and the results were expressed as tannic acid equivalents. Total flavonoids content was estimated according to the method described elsewhere.20 Quercetin was used as a standard and the results

were expressed as quercetin equivalents (mg/g). Flavonol content in the extracts was analyzed according the method described elsewhere.12 Quercetin was used as a standard and the flavonol content was expressed as quercetin equivalents (mg/g). The extracts were tested for their antioxidant property in vitro by using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and the results were compared with Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) which serves as a standard. 21 Percent mafosfamide inhibition was calculated by following equation: %inhibition=[(O.D.ofblank−O.D.ofsample)/O.D.ofblank]×100 2,2′-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging assay was carried according to the standard method described elsewhere.22 Quercetin was used as standard and the percentage of inhibition was calculated by the following equation: %inhibition=[(O.D.ofblank−O.D.ofsample)/O.D.ofblank]×100 Scavenging of hydroxyl radical was performed according to the methods described elsewhere.9 and 23 Ascorbic acid was used as a standard and the activity of the standard was compared with varying concentrations of three different extracts.