Phytochemical and Biological Investigations of <i>Ixora lutea</i> Hutch.

Abstract

Two triterpenoids, lupeol (1) and stigmasterol were isolated from the petroleum ether soluble fraction
of the methanolic extract of Ixora lutea Hutch. In our preliminary screening, the petroleum ether, carbon
tetrachloride, chloroform soluble fractions of methanol extract of the leaves and stem were subjected to antioxidant,
antimicrobial and brine shrimp lethality bioassay. All of the fractions showed moderate to potent antioxidant activity,
of which the chloroform soluble fraction demonstrated the strongest antioxidant activity with the IC₅₀ value of 3.0
μg/ml. In case of antimicrobial screening, all extractives showed mild growth inhibitory activity. However, in the
brine shrimp lethality bioassay, the petroleum ether soluble fraction was found to be most cytotoxic among the
partitionates having LC₅₀ value 0.938 μg/ml.

Key words: Ixora lutea; rubiaceae; lupeol; stigmasterol; antioxidant activity; brine shrimp lethality bioassay;
antimicrobial.

DOI: 10.3329/dujps.v8i1.5331

Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 8(1): 17-21, 2009 (June)