Phytochemical composition and biological activities of Crotalaria hebecarpa (DC.) Rudd.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25081/cb.2026.v17.9722Keywords:
Antidiabetic activity, Antioxidants, Ethnomedicinal plants, Mosquito larvicidal activity, phytochemicals., Plant extractsAbstract
In this study, Crotalaria hebecarpa (Fabaceae), an ethnomedicinal plant commonly used to treat skin infections, fever and digestive disorders by the ethnic communities was selected to study the phytochemical composition and biological activities. Ethanolic-whole plant extract was used to study the preliminary phytochemical compounds followed by GC-MS analysis. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids and phenols while the GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of 17 different phytocompounds, among which dodeconoic acid, trifluro acetic acid and cyclopentene were significant compounds with various biological activities. The IC50 values obtained for C. hebecarpa extract for H2O2, DPPH and ABTS antioxidant activities were 788.24 ppm, 825.05 ppm and 1087.68 ppm, respectively. The IC50 inhibition concentration of C. hebecarpa extract was still lower, 335.4 ppm for alpha-amylase activity and 541.54 ppm for alpha-glucosidase activity. Furthermore, the mosquito larvicidal and pupicidal efficacy of C. hebecarpa extract comprehend the effectiveness of the plant in vector control. Overall, the study implies that the ethnomedicinal plant could be useful for biomedical applications with further scientific investigations.
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