Phytochemical screening, Free radical scavenging, and In-vitro Anti-bacterial activity study of Chloroform, Acetone and Methanol extracts of selected medicinal plants of Nepal

Abstract

Bacteria are unique prokaryotic agents which carry genetic information in double stranded DNA matrix and even reside in the normal flora of human. Such bacteria sometime become the cause of human infection and disease by evading bodies protective mechanisms. Antibacterial agents are the group of materials that fight against such pathogenic bacteria, killing or reducing their metabolic activity. Meanwhile, naturally occurring plant phytochemicals are being used as antimicrobial and antibacterial agents by various group of indigenous and ethnic populations. This study was carried out to extra plot the safety, efficacy and therapeutic potency of the selected medicinal plants which are used traditionally as a source of anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and free radical scavenger. Quantitative phytochemical screening revealed that methanolic extract of Crassocephalum cripidiodes showed maximum Total Phenolic Content (TPC) of 322.16±0.01 μg GAE/mg of extract and acetone extract of Ficus. semicordata showed maximum Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) of 500.35±0.048 μg QE/mg of extract. Among the selected plant extracts, the most potent antioxidant activity was revealed by methanolic extract of Crassocephalum crepidiodes with IC50 of 6.95µg which is close to that of standard ascorbic acid having IC50 4.21µg. Bacterial susceptibility assay was carried out against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Among the selected plants, greater zone of inhibition was shown by acetone extract of Ficus semicordata against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Finally, the study revealed that Ficus semicordata, Cirsium argyracanthum and Ficus hispida have anti-bacterial property against the selected bacterial strain which provide evidence-based scientific proof towards the traditional use of these plant sample in curing bacterial diseases.

Keywords

• Ethnomedicinal plants
• phenols
• flavonoids
• Free radical scavenging activity
• Antibacterial activity

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