Abstract
Hedera nepalensis is a ground-creeping evergreen woody plant growing mainly in the Himalayas and Kashmir. This plant is frequently used in folk medicines for the treatment of various ailments. The present research focused on the pharmacological evaluation and phytochemical analysis of crude methanolic extract (CME) and three fractions, n-hexane (n-HF), ethyl acetate (EAF) and aqueous (AQF). The biological assays used for this study included DPPH free radical scavenging assay, DNA protection assay and potato disc antitumor assay. Maximum antioxidant activities with IC50 values of 9.834 ppm and 14.22 ppm were shown by EAF and AQF, respectively. Crude methanolic extract (CME) and the fractions also exhibited significant DNA protection activity in (OH)-O-center dot induced DNA damage assay, at all the concentrations tested. Both EAF and AQF showed well-defined tumor inhibition in the potato disc antitumor assay, with the lowest IC50 values shown by EAF and AQF (less than 1 ppm). Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of flavonoids, steroids, tannins, terpenoids and cardiac glycosides in the crude extract and its fractions. The present study demonstrated that EAF and AQF of Hedera nepalensis have potent antioxidant and antitumor activity with the presence of effective phytochemicals.