Evaluation of antioxidant and antiacne properties of terpenoidal fraction of Hemidesmus indicus (Indian sarsaparilla)

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of terpenoidal fraction of the roots of Hemidesmus indicus roots (TFHI) on several in vitro antioxidant and antiacne activity. The in vitro antioxidant potential of TFHI was evaluated by various antioxidant assays, including DPPH radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging in riboflavin/light/ NBT, and nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity in sodium nitroprusside/Greiss reagent system. Antiacne activity of TFHI was tested by disc diffusion and broth dilution methods against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis which have been recognized as pus-forming bacteria triggering an inflammation in acne which are etiologic agents of acne vulgaris. Further, preliminary phytochemical analysis and TLC finger print profile of TFHI was established to characterize the terpenoidal fraction which showed antioxidant and antiacne properties. The TFHI was found to have different levels of antioxidant properties in the models tested. In scavenging DPPH and superoxide radicals, its activity was intense (EC50 = 18.7 and 19.3 µg/ml respectively) while scavenging NO radical was moderate. Based on a broth dilution method, the TFHI had the greatest antiacne properties. The MIC values were the same 38 µg/ml for both bacterial species and the MBC values were 38 and 46 µg/ml against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis respectively. The antioxidant and antiacne activity could be attributed to non-polar terpenoidal fraction.