Phytochemical Analysis of Secondary Metabolites and Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of Centella asiatica (L.) by UV-Vis Spectroscopy

Background: Centella asiatica (L.) is an herbaceous, frost-tender perennial plant belonging to the Apiaceae family. It is rich in important secondary metabolites such as terpenoids, flavonoids and saponins. It is used as a traditional medicine for skin infection, cough and asthma. Methods: The present study was intended at the quantitative and qualitative analysis of its secondary metabolites. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) was performed to separate the compounds according to their Rf (Retention factor) values. Results: The total phenolic content of ethanol leaf extract was 45.72 ± 6.05 mg GAE/g determined by Folin Ciocalteu’s assay. The maximum content of total flavonoids was found in aqueous leaf extract, 44.62 ± 2.45 mg QE/g. Aqueous extract of leaf and stem showed the highest antioxidant activity with DPPH (2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging assay (45.66 ± 1.29 & 45.20 ± 3.0, respectively). Conclusion: The present study revealed the antioxidant properties in Centella asiatica.