Comparative analysis of total phenolic content and antimicrobial activity of some plants of Garo hills, Meghalaya

Abstract

Eethanolic and aqueous extracts of some plants commonly found in Garo hills of Meghalaya and known for their medicinal value were analysed for total phenolic content and antimicrobial activity. Total content of phenols was quantitatively estimated from extracts of lemon grass, tamarind, Ber, starfruit and Beetle nut. Antimicrobial activity and yield of these plant extracts was also determined. Further, ethanolic extracts have revealed better total phenolic content and antimicrobial activity against test pathogens in comparison to aqueous extracts. Among the plant extracts investigated Beetle nut exhibited highest content of phenols and also best antimicrobial properties. The results show that use of the natural antimicrobial inherent properties occurring in plants extracts is a viable option for the textile finishing industry for functional textile applications. The plant extracts showed high antimicrobial activity which indicates that these extracts may be useful natural remedies for antimicrobial textile finishes for treatment of various types of skin/wound infections and medical textile applications.