Comparative analysis of antioxidant, antimicrobial, and tyrosinase inhibitory activities of Centella asiatica (l.) Urb and Eichhornia crassipes (mart.) Solms

In the present study, we examined the potential biological activities of two marginal weeds, Centella asiatica (L.) Urb and Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) solms, using various solvents (water, methanol, and ethyl acetate). The ethyl acetate and ethanol crude extracts of Centella asiatica exhibited notable antioxidant activity, as indicated by their DPPH radical scavenging ability, with values of 349.33±3.92 and 348.48±2.96 µg Vitamin C equivalents/0.01 g dry matter, respectively. These extracts effectively inhibited free radicals from DPPH at half maximal effective concentrations (EC50) of 160.46±1.62 and 1,330±25.25 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ethyl acetate crude extract of E. crassipes (Mart.) solms, demonstrated the highest content of total phenolic compounds, with 185.88 ± 2.31µg GAE/0.01 g dry matter, as determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric assay. Additionally, the ethyl acetate extract of E. crassipes (Mart.) solms, displayed potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 67.93±0.82 µg/mL. Regarding antimicrobial activity, both the ethyl acetate and ethanol crude extracts of C. asiatica (L.) Urb exhibited potential against three of the seven tested bacterial strains, as determined by the agar well diffusion method. These findings highlight the significant biological activities of C. asiatica (L.) Urb and E. crassipes (Mart.) solms, extracts, suggesting their potential for various scientific applications. Further studies are necessary to explore their diverse range of potential applications.