Evaluation of phytochemicals and in vitro antioxidant activity of Cissus populnea (Stem)

The medicinal properties of plants are often linked to the presence of phytochemicals and their antioxidant potentials. In this research, aqueous extracts of Cissus populnea stem were qualitatively analyzed for various phytoconstituents and evaluated for in vitro antioxidant activity using three different assessment methods. The screening revealed the presence of all tested phytochemicals, except glycosides and tannins, which were not detected. Across all three antioxidant assays, the antioxidant activity of the extracts increased proportionally with concentration. Using the nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, and ferric ion inhibition assays, the extracts at concentrations ranging from 100 µg/ml to 1000 µg/ml demonstrated up to 50% of the antioxidant activity exhibited by standard ascorbic acid at equivalent concentrations. These findings suggest that the stem of C. populnea may serve as a valuable source of bioactive compounds.