Abstract

PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF BARK AND SEEDS OF ETHIOPIAN NEEM (AZADIRACHTA INDICA A. JUSS)

Melese Sinaga, Kumar Ganesan, Suresh Kumar P. Nair and Sharmila Banu Gani*

ABSTRACT

Phytochemicals are nonessential nutrients derived from plants; most of them are physiologically active. Majority of the phytochemicals have been known to beer therapeutic activities like antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, antispasmodic, anticancer, hepatoprotective etc. Chemical compounds with antimicrobial activity isolated from plants have enormous therapeutic potential and are effective in the treatment of infectious diseases while magnetizing many of the side effects that are often caused by synthetic antimicrobial agents. The present study planned to evaluate the bark and seed extracts Azadirachta indica A.Juss (Family: Meliaceae) were subjected for qualitative phytochemical evaluation and in vitro antimicrobial activity. Data showed that seeds and bark contain alkaloids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides, phytosterols, polyphenols and saponin. Neem has been found very active against all gram positive and negative bacteria and demonstrated moderate to significant antibacterial activity against tested pathogens.

Keywords: Azadirachta indica A. Juss, phytochemical screening, Antibacterial activity Traditional medicine.