Abstract
In the last few years plants have been used as antimicrobial agents because of their antimicrobial traits. This property is due to the bioactive compounds synthesized during secondary metabolism in plants. The use of plant interacts with known antimicrobial properties can be of great significance in therapeutic usage. It is at this critical juncture, the philosophy of traditional has made a comeback. Bio active substances in plants are produced as secondary metabolites which may not only development stage specific but also organ and tissue specific. Hence it is essential to screen the different parts of the medicinal plant viz., leaves, stem, fruits, flowers and root for their antimicrobial activity. The Western Ghats are rich in ethno botanical plants, which have pharmacological activity. Among the herbal plants our aim of the study is to screen the plant, S. xanthocarpum due to their undeniable importance in folklore medicine. All parts of the plant are used as medicine for asthma, chronic febrile illness and tuberculosis. A scientific study on its antimicrobial potential is not been reported much. Hence the present investigation is aimed to study the antimicrobial properties of the herbal plant S.xanthocarpum and a preliminary investigation was also made on its phytochemical properties. The sample fruits and leaves were collected from the same locality. The sample were extracted separately using different solvents such as chloroform, ethanol, methanol, chloroform: methanol (2: IV/V) methanol: chloroform (3: IV/V) and their antimicrobial activity was evaluated against some selected infectious microorganisms by adopting disc diffusion method. Both extracts obtained from fruits and leaves of S.xanthocarpum were tested for antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial activity of extracts of fresh fruits and leaves showed higher inhibitory activity against microorganisms. The extracts of fresh leaves with chloroform showed the maximum activity against B.sphaericus, K. pneumonia, Enterobacter aerogens and P.aeroginosa. The extracts of fresh fruits using chloroform revealed the best activity against P.aeruginosa, C.freundei. The extracts of fresh leaves of S.xanthocarpum using chloroform as solvent revealed the presence of phenols, proteins and free aminoacids, resins, xanthoproteins, sugars and traces of alkaloids. This may be the reason for its significant antimicrobial action. The chloroform extracts of fresh fruits revealed the presence of alkaloids, coumarins, phenols, proteins and free amino acids, resins, steroids, phytosterols, triterpenoidal sapogenins, tannins, xanthoproteins and sugar. The results of the present study provide a scientific validation for the popular use of the herbal plant, S.xanthocarpum and justify its use as a folklore medicine which is easily available, cost effective and has no harm on the viability of human cells. It is also possible that better therapy for many microbial diseases can be found in the leaves and fruits of the medicinal plant S.xanthocarpum.