Evaluation of Pharmacological Properties of <i>Curcuma zedoaria</i> Rhizome via Ethnopharmacological Approaches

Phytochemicals or plant secondary metabolites secure plant cells in stressful circumstances and offer human well-being and hence are used in traditional medicine. Curcuma zedoaria (Christm.) Roscoe of the family Zingiberaceae has numerous traditional uses, however its pharmacological effectiveness has not yet been fully scrutinized. This study intended to explore the pharmacological properties of the plant using the crude methanolic extract (ME) of its rhizome. In vitro and in vivo assessments were performed to ascertain the hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic effects. A promising dose-dependent hepatoprotective effect was observed in paracetamol (2 g/kg body weight) induced hepatotoxic rats, pretreated with the ME (150 & 300 mg/kg body weight). There was a significant decline (p<0.001) in the level of the serum biomarkers of hepatic necrosis (Alanine Aminotransferase, Alkaline Phosphatase, Aspartate Aminotransferase, and Total Bilirubin). Antibacterial potency of the ME was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus employing the disc diffusion method, where a dose of 800 µg demonstrated notable effects (p<0.01) compared to the reference standards, Kanamycin and Norfloxacin. Finally, a mild dose-dependent response was observed compared to the reference standard vincristine sulfate in in vitro brine shrimp lethality bioassay, a test taken as an indicator of cytotoxicity. To conclude, the findings of this study opened an avenue for more extensive research to find new phytochemicals with hepatoprotective, antibacterial, and anticancer potential.