PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITIES OF AEGLE MARMELOS (Linn.) LEAF

Background: Medicinal plants are the mainstay of complementary and alternative medicine. The search for new natural remedies is still ongoing process against new and existence diseases. Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical constituents and cytotoxic activity of methanolic extracts of Aegle marmelos (Linn.) (MEAM) leaves and its petroleum ether fraction (PEF), chloroform fraction (CLF), ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) & aqueous fraction (AQF). Method: A crude methanol extract and four fractions were prepared from the leaves of Aegle marmelos (AM). The preparations were assessed for phytochemical analysis by saponins, tannins, glycosides, steroids and alkaloids tests and cytotoxic activity by brine shrimp lethality assay. Results: Phytochemical screening of CME showed the presence of saponins, tannins, glycosides, steroids and alkaloids. Glycosides and steroids were found in the PEF. CLE showed the presence of only steroids and EAF showed the presence of only glycosides. AQF was highly enriched in saponins, tannins, glycosides and alkaloids. For cytotoxic activity among the extractives, the most potent activity was found in PEF and the ED50 value of PEF was 24.00 ?g/ml. The ED50 values of other extractives such as CME, CLF, EAF and AQF were 40.00, 150.00, 184.63 and 240.02 ?g/ml respectively. The ED50 of vincristine sulphate was found to be 1.04 ?g/ml. Conclusion: From the study it was found that AQF of AM leave enriched in phytoconstituents and PEF had significant cytotoxicity activity compared to other extracts. Keywords: Aegle marmelos, Phytochemical Screening, Cytotoxic Activity, AQF, PEF.