Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL SCREENING OF INDIGOFERA TIRUNELVELICA SANJAPPA: AN IMPORTANT HERB

Subburayalu S.* and Asha KRT

ABSTRACT

The therapeutic value of Indigofera tirunelvelica Sanjappa (Fabaceae) has been recognized as a component of traditional medication for the treatment of various human ailments. The plant is being highly explored, still lacks sufficient evidences for the best variety possesses the highest degree of medicinal values. The present study is focused on phytochemical screening of aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of I. tirunelvelica. The crude extracts of I. tirunelvelica revealed the presence of several biologically active phytochemicals with the high degree of alkaloids, flavonoids and phenols. The antibacterial efficacy was investigated against pathogenic bacterial strains and the highest inhibitory activity of aqueous extract was obtained against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi and Actinomyces whereas ethanolic extract was found to be most potent against Klebsiella, Pseudomonas auroginsoa, Staphylococcus aureus and E.coli at 50 μg/ml concentration. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of many bioactive metabolites such as flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics, and steroids that can be postulated for antibacterial activity.

Keywords: I. tirunelvelica; Ethanol extract, medicinal plant, and antimicrobial activity.