Antibacterial activity of Scoparia dulcis L. root extract against Salmonella typhi and identification of active phytochemicals

Abstract

The root of Scoparia dulcis was consumed in its raw form by the Santali community inhabited in the tribal areas of West Bengal, India for treating loose stools and/or stomach pain due to ingestion of contaminated food. This observation led us to determine and validate the antibacterial activity of the root against common bacteria contaminating food like Salmonella Typhi. The extract was tested against 15 clinical isolates of Salmonella Typhi along with the standard MTCC734 strain and observed that the MIC values ranged from ≤7.5 mg/ml to >3.7 mg/ml. The time-kill assay showed decrease in growth rate of the bacteria in presence of the extract. TLC-Bioautography showed presence of phytochemicals in the extract which can inhibit the growth of Salmonella Typhi. A total of 43 phytochemicals were identified by LC-MS from the 5 selected fractions of the crude. Further research is necessary to identify most potent phytochemicals, which may lead to the development of anti-typhoid drug.