Abstract

IN VITRO ANTI-OXIDANT AND ANTI-BACTERIAL ACTIVITIES OF BARLERIA PRIONITIS WHOLE PLANT EXTRACT

Panthagada Sunitha*, Nidadavolu Sashanka Priya, Muppidi Sharonuroja, Sangadi Srinivas, Somana Naresh, Palivela Teja Sai Charan and Pulukuri Mojess Satwik Raj

ABSTRACT

Barleria Prionitis is an ornamental plant commonly growing in a garden with more therapeutic values, belongs to Acanthaceae and the genus Barleria. In this study, Barleria Prionitis was screened for major phytochemical groups. In this plant extract, alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids, proteins, steroids, and phenolic compounds were present. The antioxidant capacity of plant extract can be determined by nitric oxide assay, which suggests that it not only scavenges free radicals but also has strong reducing power, indicative of a robust antioxidant capacity. The dose-dependent increase in activity across assays underscores the potential therapeutic applicability of the plant extract in managing oxidative stress-related conditions. The results are typically expressed as a percentage of inhibition of nitrite formation, or as an IC₅₀ value, the concentration of the antioxidant required to inhibit 50% of nitric oxide production. This assay provides valuable insights into the free radical scavenging potential of various compounds, which suggests that further purification and isolation of active compounds might enhance their activity. The antibacterial activity of plant extract was tested by the Agar well diffusion method against two pathogenic bacteria, gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus). Antibacterial activity against both bacteria, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 1.2-2.5 µg/mL for E. coli and 1.4-2.6 µg/mL for Staphylococcus aureus. Results indicate that the Barleria Prionitis extract showed good antibacterial activity.

Keywords: Barleria Prionitis, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration.