Investigation on phytochemical, cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties of ethanolic extracts of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban

Abstract

Centella asiatica (L.) Urban. is known to exhibit certain therapeutic properties. In the present work, plant extract of C. asiatica was considered for qualitative assessment of its secondary metabolite contents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, sterols, tannins, glycosides and saponins. Phytochemical, cytotoxic and antibacterial properties of the ethanolic extract of the plant were also determined. Plant extract showed the presence of all aimed metabolite contents as well as the brine shrimp lethality with LC50 value 186.46 μg/ml and significant inhibition zone against Escherichia coli, B. Subtilis, Vibrio cholerae, S. Sonnei, and Salmonella paratyphi and non-inhibition against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella dysenteriae. The highest zone of inhibition record was 8 mm (at 100mg/ml) and the lowest was 5 mm (at 50mg/ml).