Antimicrobial activities, antioxidant and phytochemical analysis of methanol and aqueous leaf extract of Phyllathus muellerianus (KUNTZ) Exell

Abstract

The development of resistance in many microorganisms to synthetic drugs, inability of these synthetic drugs to provide cure for some diseases and infections calls for serious attention. Due to this development, the antimicrobial activity, phytochemical analysis and antioxidant properties of aqueous and ethanol leaf extracts of Phyllanthus muellerianus was studied. Well in agar diffusion method was used for the antimicrobial test. Chemical methods was used for the preliminary phytochemical screening and the in vitro antioxidant tests. The aqueous leaf extract possessed higher antibacterial potency (14.0±0.16–37.3±0.03 mm) on the test bacteria species and less of antifungal activity (5.0±0.2–16.0±0.0 mm) than the antibacterial (6.2±0.5–20.8±0.3 mm) and antifungal antibiotics (6.5±0.07-17.7±0.4 mm) respectively. Methanol extract only inhibited Candida krusei with inhibition of 4.5±0.3 mm. In both the qualitative and quantitative phytochemicals screened, aqueous extract was of higher yield than methanol extract. The in vitro antioxidant assay of the leaf extract in free radical scavenging (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant and hydroxyl radical scavenging properties yielded values able to represent antimicrobial potentials which may make the plant serve as alternative medicine for cure of the many microbial disease origins that plaque around the world. As valuable antimicrobial potential, phytochemical constituents and in vitro antioxidant properties was exhibited by P. muellerianus leaf extract, it may enhance a large segment of the world population to rely upon the use of traditional system of medicine for disease healing with novel plants.