European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

SCREENING THE PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS, ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF ACACIA NILOTICA, FICUS BENGALENSIS AND THESPESIA POPULNEA

Jeniffer Usha F., Aruna Sharmili S.* and Anbumalarmathi J.

ABSTRACT

The present study was aimed to investigate the phytochemical constituents, total phenol content, flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities by Ferric Thiocynate assay (FTC), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant power (FRAP) and antimicrobial activity of methanol bark extracts of Acacia nilotica, Ficus bengalensis, Thespesia populnea. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of carbohydrates, proteins, tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids in the methanol bark extract. The total phenol content (32.13mg TAE/g) was highest in T. populnea whereas the total flavonoid content was high (14.45mg QE/g) in A. nilotica. A. nilotica exhibited higher antioxidant activity when compared to the bark extracts of other plants with 19.245% FIC and 15% FRAP activity. The methanol extract of the barks were screened for antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The highest antibacterial activity was exhibited by F. bengalensis against Staphylococcus aureus (15mm) and T. populnea against K. pneumoniae (12mm) at 4mg /ml.

Keywords: Bark, Acacia nilotica, Ficus bengalensis, Thespesia populnea, Phytochemicals, Antioxidant - Antibacterial activity.