Screening of selected plants from semi-arid region for its phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activity

Abstract

The main aim of the study was to investigate phytochemical screening of the various plant parts(leaves, fruits, flowers) of native plant species viz., Nerium oleander, Lawsonia inermis, Pithecellobium dulce, Euphorbia tithymaloides, Punica granatum, Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Plumeria obtusa, Carica papaya, Cassia fistula, Cordia dichotoma, Euphorbia prostrate and Cyanthillium cinereum collected from the Garden of GUIDE institute, Kachchh, Gujarat. Qualitative phytochemical screening of plants showed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoid, reducing sugars, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, coumarin, phenols, emodin, anthocyanin, quinones, anthraquinones, protein and amino acid, phlobatanin and volatile oil which exhibit positive result with negligible variations in selected plants. The Antimicrobial activity on aqueous plant extract of P. obtusa indicates that the showed significant inhibitory zone in antimicrobial activity against human pathogens viz., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus by agar diffusion method. These verdict, however, support the traditional use of P. obtusa for the treatment of the various ailments.