PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY STUDY OF SARACA INDICA LEAVES EXTRACT

Abstract

To know the role of different phytochemicals in relation to the in vitro antibacterial activity of both the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Saraca indica (Family-Caesalpinaceae), present study was conducted. Following standard methods, phytochemical screening of each extract was performed. For antibacterial activity study, both the extracts were used at 100 µg /ml and 200 µg /ml concentrations. The largest zone of inhibition was produced when ethanolic extract (100 µg/ml and 200 µg/ml) was used against Escherichia coli, whereas the zone was least in case of Staphylococcus aureus. However, methanolic extract (100 µg /ml and 200 µg /ml) gave maximum zone of inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and it was minimum in case of Bacillus subtilis. Although our extracts were inferior to the positive control (chloramphenicol) as far as zones of inhibition were concerned, the differences between the zones of inhibition produced by the positive control and the extracts against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis were not remarkable .So, it may be noted that both the extracts, even at lower concentration, possess antibacterial activity. From the results of both the studies, it may be concluded that the ethanolic extract showed antibacterial activity was probably due to the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and glycosides. On the other hand, due to different phytochemicals such as steroids, saponins and glycosides, the methanolic extract indicated antibacterial activity. Preliminary phytochemical studies revealed the presence of glycosides and saponins as the phytochemical classes present in both the extracts.