PHARMACOGNOSTICAL EVALUATION, ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF TRIDAX PROCUMBENS L.
Khatoon Safina*, Singh D. C. and Khatoon Sayyada
ABSTRACT
Modern medicine is facing the worst ever existential crisis in the form of antibiotic/antifungal resistance. The wide spectrum antibiotic resistance observed is now posing a serious public health concern, with medical scholars warning of a return to the pre-biotic era. Progressive increase in antimicrobial resistance has given rise to the need to investigate other sources of therapy such as medicinal plants. Tridax procumbens, the weed is a source plant which is investigated for it’s Krimighna and Rasayana guna, the properties being mentioned in various Ayurvedic texts and here it is tried to prove it on scientific parameters. Plant extracts were screened for their antimicrobial activities using the Disc diffusion method. Their phytochemical contents were screened, FRP and TAC methods were used to assess their antioxidant activities. HPTLC reveals the presence of Beta sitosterol in plant sample. Three plant extracts, viz. aqueous, alcoholic and hydroalcoholic(50%) of Tridax procumbens L. were used to assess antimicrobial activity against potentially pathogenic three bacterial (P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, E. coli) and 3 fungal strains( C.albicans, M. furfur, T. rubrum). Inhibitory activity of the extract was seen against T. rubrum, M. furfur and P. aeruginosa but remarkable activity was seen in case of C. albicans showing 11mm zone of inhibition against 15 mm ZOI by standard(Ketoconazole) disc. The water and hydroalcoholic extracts showed zone of inhibition against C. albicans only. Phytochemicals like alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, protein and carbohydrates were found in plant extracts, and the plant extract also demonstrated remarkable antioxidant activity.
Keywords: Tridax procumbens, Bhringraja, Krimighna, Rasayana, C.albicans, M. furfur, T. rubrum, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, E. coli, Beta sitosterol.
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