Phytochemical Analysis and in vitro Antioxidant Activities of Three Species of Premna L. from Kerala

Aim: Premna, a genus belonging to the family Lamiaceae, is known for its immense bioactivity and has a significant role in traditional medicine and modern pharmacological research. The present study sought to look into the bioactive compounds present in the methanolic extracts and the antioxidant activities of three selected species of Premna from different localities of Kerala State, India. Materials and Methods: This study offers a thorough comparison of the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling of three species of Premna such as Premna scandens Roxb., Premna mollissima Roth. Premna glaberrima Wight. from Kerala, India. Results: Qualitative analysis revealed the presence of major phytochemical compounds such as alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, terpenoids and steroids in the three species and the quantitative assays indicated considerable differences in their concentrations in these species. The antioxidant activity experiments revealed varied degrees of free radical scavenging ability, which corresponded to the observed phytochemical diversity. Several bioactive compounds were identified by GC-MS investigation of three different Premna species. Among them P. glaberrima, showed peaks indicating the presence of 22 compounds, whereas P. scandens and P. mollisima were confirmed with the presence of 17 and 16 compounds respectively some of which may contribute to the reported antioxidant activity. Conclusion: Thus, a variety of phytochemicals present in the three Premna species can potentially enhance their antioxidant activity. The ability to neutralize free radicals and lessen oxidative stress was indicated by the antioxidant capacity measured using the DPPH, nitric oxide scavenging, and superoxide scavenging procedures.