Abstract

• In the present study, Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) DC. (Ka-thit-phu) was chosen for the investigation of the phytochemical and some biochemical activities. The spines of Z. rhetsa were collected from Dawei Township, Tanintharyi Region. The preliminary phytochemical screening indicated the presence of alkaloids, α-aminoacids, carbohydrate, cardiac glycoside, flavonoids, glycosides, organic acids, phenolic compounds, polyphenol, saponin, steroids, tannins and terpenoids in the spines of Z. rhetsa. According to the physicochemical analyses, the dry powdered sample was found to contain 5.46 % of total ash, 1.45 % of water soluble ash, 0.19 % of acid insoluble ash, 8.54 % of moisture content, <100 of foaming index and swelling index of 5 mL/g of the sample. The EDXRF elemental analysis showed some elements such as Si, S, Ca, K, Fe, Mn and Cu present in the sample. The extractable matters (% w/w) were found to be 4.6, 3, 2.6, 2.2, 2.0, 1.0, 0.2 % (w/w) by extracting with different polarities of solvents such as water, methanol, ethanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, chloroform and petroleum ether, respectively. The ethanol extract was observed to have higher total phenol content (51.92 ± 0.54 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid content (50.61 ± 2.29 mg QE/g) than the watery extract (41.56 ± 0.83 mg GAE/g of TPC and 36.97 ± 1.05 mg QE/g of TFC). Antimicrobial activities (1220 mm) of seven different extracts of the sample were determined against some fungal and bacterial species by using agar well diffusion method. The antioxidant activities of ethanol extract (IC50 = 1.15 g/mL) and watery extract (IC50 = 2.89 g/mL) were determined by DPPH radical scavenging activity assay. The ethanol extract of the sample was observed to possess the higher α-amylase inhibition activity (IC50 = 113.01 g/mL) and -glucosidase inhibition activity (IC50 = 120.56 g/mL) than the watery extract (IC50 =137.00 g/mL and IC50 = 446.78 g/mL) and therefore ethanol extract might possess higher antidiabetic potency than watery extract. The crude extracts such as PE, EtOAc, Acetone, MeOH, EtOH, CHCl3 and watery extracts exhibited the inhibition of tumor formation at the dose of 0.3 g/disc up to 7 days determined on tumor produced bacteria by using PCG (Potato Crown Gall) test. In vitro antiproliferative activity of ethanol and watery extracts was evaluated against human cancer cell lines: Hela (cervical) (IC50 = 3.74 g/mL and IC50 = > 200 g/mL), MCF-7 (breast) (IC50 = 7.71 g/mL and IC50 = > 200 g/mL), A549 (lung) (IC50 = 4.77 g/mL and IC50 = > 200 g/mL) cancer cell lines by CCK-8 Assay (Cell Counting Kit-8).