LAUSR

BACKGROUND Wrightia tinctoria R. Br. (Apocyanaceae) is known as biologically effective jaundice plant in Indian traditional system of medicine. It is a wild medicinal tree possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-nociceptive, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-psoriatic, anti-cancerous, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, analgesic, and antipyretic activities. Its constituents serve foremost interest to pharmaceutical industries owing to their multi-function action and biological activities. METHOD Methanolic extract of Wrightia tinctoria (MEWT) was investigated by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy and provided affirmative results which helps in identification and characterization of therapeutic claim of it in traditional system. The antioxidant activity of MEWT was determined by most suitable DPPH method. RESULTS The basic compounds found in MEWT were β-caryophyllene (0.22%); mome inositol (12.02%); neophytadiene (1.61%); eicosanoic acid methyl ester (0.32%); 8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid methyl ester (0.60%); phytol (0.94%); phytol palmitate (1.37%); squalene (1.57%); flavone 4-OH,5-OH,7-di-O-glucoside (29.34%); γ-tocopherol (0.49%); stigmast-5-en-3-ol (3.14%); methyl commate B (1.76%); methyl commate A (5.20%) and 24-norursa-3,12-diene (20.36%). The obtained results in the analysis of antioxidant activity of MEWT exhibited considerable free radical scavenging capacity against DPPH generated free radicals. CONCLUSION This study expands the knowledge of MEWT chemical composition and provide an evidence of ethno-medicinal use of the plant by exploring anti-oxidant activity. The substantial antioxidant activity of MEWT could be due to presence of terpenes, flavonoids and vitamin E and other reported compounds.