The Journal of Phytopharmacology, 2017;6(5):269-276 DOI:10.31254/phyto.2017.6503

Research Article

Phytochemical profile and antimicrobial potential of methanolic extracts of bark and leaf of Quassia indica (Gaertn.) Nooteb.

Anusha P¹ , Sudha Bai R¹

Anusha P,Sudha Bai R

1. Post graduate and Research, Department of Botany, University College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – 695034, India

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 4th October, 2017 / Accepted: 2nd November, 2017

Abstract

The study comprises the results of phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial evaluation of extracts from bark and leaf of Quassia indica (Gaertn). Nooteb. – a medicinal plant used in traditional healing owing to its analgestic, antiinflammatory, antifeedant and antimicrobial properties. A preliminary qualitative analysis was carried out successively in five different solvents with increasing order of polarity-Petroleum ether, Chloroform, Ethyl acetate, Methanol and Water to document the nature and yield of phytochemicals. The extracts were evaluated for antimicrobial effect using two strains of bacteria – Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and fungi – Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans. Among solvents methanol and water were found as effective extractants in which most of the secondary metabolites - alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics, tannins, phytosterols were released. Quantitative analysis of the methanolic and aqueous extracts was carried out to estimate the quantity (mg/g tissue) of the phytoconstituents. The alkaloid content was much higher in leaf extract (5.7 mg/g) than in bark (3.5 mg/g). The phenolic content expressed as mg/ g GAE was determined in the methanolic extract, bark (24.38) > leaf (10.44) and the aqueous extract does not show much phenolic content. Flavonoid were maximum in methanolic leaf extract (1.085 mg/g) and minimum in aqueous bark extract (0.305 mg/g) and the terpenoid content was detected in methanolic extracts of leaf (0.4016 mg/g) and bark (0.4224 mg/g). The leaf extract indicated more tannin content (1.536 mg/g) than bark (1.328 mg/g). Evaluation of antimicrobial activity suggested leaf extract as an effective antibacterial and antifungal agent at a concentration of 1000 ?g/ml with inhibition zones- 24 mm (S.aureus), 22 mm (E.coli) and 14 mm (A.niger), 14 mm(C. albicans). The bark extract was comparatively lesser efficient in resisting microbial growth (E. coli – 20 mm; S. aureus – 22 mm; A. niger – 12 mm; C. albicans – 10 mm).