Introduction
Vernonia elaeagnifolia (curtain creeper) is a fast-growing climber from the Asteraceae family, widely used for ornamental and environmental purposes. Despite its ecological importance, its phytochemical and medicinal properties remain underexplored. Phenolic compounds such as gallic acid contribute to antioxidant and anticancer activity.
Materials and Methods
Leaves were collected from Nandurbar, India, shade-dried, and extracted using aqueous maceration. Phytochemical screening and total phenolic content were determined using standard protocols, and HPLC analysis was performed using a C18 column.
Results
Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, proteins, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, phenolics, and amino acids, while steroids were absent.
Total phenolic content showed strong calibration linearity (R² = 0.9774) with values around 85.36 mg GAE/g extract and 34.28 µg/mL in solution.
HPLC analysis revealed gallic acid as a major phenolic compound, with concentrations ranging from 554 to 2490.50 µg/mL based on peak area analysis.
Discussion
The results confirm Vernonia elaeagnifolia as a rich source of phenolic compounds. The presence of gallic acid and catechin supports antioxidant and anticancer potential through apoptosis induction and oxidative stress reduction.
Conclusion
The aqueous extract of Vernonia elaeagnifolia shows significant phenolic content and promising therapeutic potential. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary to confirm its biological activity.
References
- Kattekola P. (2020). Vernonia elaeagnifolia review.
- Wang P. et al. (2022). Urban greening systems.
- Sultana A. et al. (2017). Pharmacological evaluation.
- Additional references as per original article.