TITLE:
Phytochemical Evaluation and in Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Sphaeranthus indicus (L.)—An Important Antijaundice Medicinal Plant
AUTHORS:
K. Harathi, D. Giribabu, C. Varadarajulu Naidu
KEYWORDS:
Sphaeranthus indicus, Antibacterial Activity, Agar Well Diffusion, Phytochemical Screening
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.8 No.5,
April
21,
2017
ABSTRACT: An investigation was carried
out to study the antibacterial activity of Sphaeranthus indicus from leaf, stem and root extracts by the sequential cold maceration
method against selected laboratory bacterial pathogens such as Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida by the agar well diffusion method.
Zone of inhibition measured (mm) was compared with standard antibiotics such as
Tetracycline, Erythromycin and Ampicillin.
The organic solvents such as ethanol, methanol, petroleum ether,
chloroform as well as distilled water extracts were employed. Among all the
extracts, tested ethanolic leaf extracts have showed more antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Phytochemical screening methods were also done to
identify the major secondary metabolites in the present species such as
alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, steroids and tannins. This study concluded that Sphaeranthus
indicus had the sufficient antibacterial activity due to the presence of various secondary
metabolites.