Phenolic Contents, Antioxidant Activity, Free Radical Scavenging Capacity and Efficacy of Calotropis procera as Bio-Control Agent

Calotropis procera is a weed known for its high medicinal properties in Indian system of medicine for the treatment of various ailments. Its total phenolic contents, antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities followed by bio-efficacy of methanol, hexane and chloroform soluble extracts were studied on cotton mealy bug (Phenacoccus solenopsis). Total phenolic contents ranged from 25.6 to 39.4 mg/g gallic acid equivalent (GAE), antioxidant 45.6 to 67.4% and free radical scavenging activity by using DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl) varied from 35.8 to 39.6%. Phenols were anthocyanins, their derivatives and phenolic acids in nature. The extract showed potential insecticidal efficacy against cotton mealy bug (Phenacoccus solenopsis) at 16.7% at 0.007% lowest dose and 63.3% at 0.5% highest dose.