ELUCIDATING THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF A THERAPEUTICALLY IMPORTANT AND ENDANGERED ORCHID, AERIDES MULTIFLORA ROXB. FROM NORTHWESTERN HIMALAYAS

The present investigation was carried out with an objective to determine the total phenolics and flavonoids, and antioxidant activity and further the characterization of the bioactive phytochemical constituents in a therapeutically important orchid, Aerides multiflora using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. Ethanolic leaf extract was found to contain the highest total phenolics and the highest total flavonoids with a value of 88.92±0.014 mg gallic acid equivalent per g dry weight and 101.13±0.02 mg rutin equivalent per g dry weight, respectively. The antioxidant activity of leaf and root was evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay. The major compounds identified from GC-MS analysis were Octadecanoic acid, Lidocaine, n-Hexadecanoic acid, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid(Z,Z)-, Tetrapentacontane, Stigmasterol etc. The present study aimed to investigate the phytochemical profile of this orchid; identify a range of bioactive compounds through GC-MS analysis; pharmacological activities of these compounds demonstrating its potential as a source for novel drug development.