Evaluation of preliminary Phytochmical, Antidandruff and Antioxidant activity of medicinally and economically important plant, Wrightia Tinctoria (Apocynaceae)

The plant samples (leaf and bark) of Wrightia tinctoria were collected from the nearby areas of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Preliminary phytochemical analysis, in-vitro antioxidant activity and antidandruff activity studies were done using ethanolic and acetone extracts from the leaf and bark of Wrightia tinctoria. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of Alkaloids, Phenols, Glycosides, Steroids, Terpenoids and Tannins. Antioxidant activity evaluated by the Phosphomoybdenum assay and Metal chelating assay showed that the bark samples exhibited the most antioxidant activity compared to leaf samples in both assays. The antifungal activity of leaf and bark (acetone and ethanol) extracts of W.tinctoria on the growth of dandruff causing fungi Malassezia fufur done by disc diffusion method, revealed that the extracts of Wrightia tinctoria are actively involved in controlling the dandruff causing fungi.