Phytochemical analysis and high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography guided quantification of Boeravinone B from Boerhaavia diffusa root extracts: Assessment of in vitro safety analysis

An Indian traditional medicinal plant, Boerhaavia diffusa (Punarnava), is reported for its diuretic activity and helps in impaired  kidney function. The present study indicates that alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, phytosterols, flavonoids, and glycosides are absent in the petroleum ether extract and present chiefly in the methanolic extract of roots. The phytosterols were found to be present in the ethyl acetate extract, while other phytochemical constituents, that is, alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, flavonoids, and glycosides, were absent. From high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography, the results indicated that out of all the three extracts and two marketed formulations, ethyl acetate root extract (LEA) has the highest amount of Boeravinone B content. Further, different root extracts of B. diffusa and two marketed formulations were evaluated on the human embryonic kidney cell line to understand pharmacological safety. From the results, it was observed that LEA and petroleum ether root extracts showed a higher percentage of cell survival and a better safety profile up to the dose of 1 mg/mL. The overall results indicated that further preclinical evaluation of B. diffusa is needed to understand the mechanism behind nephroprotective potential which can further expedite the drug discovery process of nephroprotective molecules.