Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC STEM BARK OF TAMARINDUS INDICA

Utkarsh Tyagi*, Ritika Pathik and Dr. Surya Prakash Dwivedi

ABSTRACT

Tamarindus indica trees are widely distributed in the southern and northern parts of India and extensively used in folkloric medicine for the treatment of cold, fever, stomach disorder, general body pain, jaundice, yellow fever and as blood tonic and skin cleanser. In this context, the present study was designed to evaluate the composite properties including in vitro antimicrobial activities, MIC, MBC, phytochemical analysis and antioxidant property of the methanol extract of bark of T. indica. The antimicrobial properties were evaluated against the pathogenic microorganisms. The in vitro anti-bacterial and antifungal activity was performed by agar well diffusion method while the phytochemical analysis were investigated by different methods including Mayer’s Test, Ninhydrin Test, Keller –Killiani Test, Ferric Chloride Test, Froth Test, Xanthoprotic Test, Liebermann Burchard Test, Gelatin Test, Molisch’s test. Antioxidant property was evaluated by DPPH method. T. indica bark shows the presence of phytochemicals like, phenolic compounds, tannins, amino acids and saponins. The antimicrobial activity results were expressed as the average diameter of zone of inhibition. The methanol extract showed better anti-bacterial activity and with zone of inhibition (18-22 mm) and showed no antifungal activity when compared with other tested standard antibiotic Oxytetracycline (500ppm) and Fluconazole (7000ppm). The MIC of the methanol extracts ranged from 12.5 to 25μg/ml. However MBC ranges from 3.125 to 12.5 μg/ml. extracts of T. indica bark also exhibited significant antioxidant activity, thus establishing the extracts as an antioxidant. The results obtained in this study give some scientific support to the T. indica bark extract for further investigation of active compounds and molecules and in future could be used as drug. Combinations of extracts may be a better alternate for antibiotics of herbal origin.

Keywords: Tamarindus indica, Phytochemicals, Antibacterial, Antifungal, MIC, MBC, Antioxidant, Methanol, Plant Extract.