Investigation on Phytochemicals and Antibacterial Activity of the Leaf and Stem Extracts of Iresine Herbstii

Many plants have been known to synthesize active secondary metabolites to protect themselves from microbial attack which have potential therapeutic applications. The soxhlet extracts of leaf and stem of Iresine herbstii using ethanol, acetone, dichloromethane and petroleum ether were investigated for their phytochemical and antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria and compared with the standard antibiotics. Preliminary qualitative phytochemical screening of the extracts was carried out to reveal the phytochemicals constituents of the plant. Antibacterial activity was performed by using agar well and disc diffusion methods. Phytochemical screening exposed that leaf and stem contained alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, phytosterols, proteins, resins, saponins, tannins and thiols. The results indicated that the leaf ethanolic extract was found to be most effective against pathogenic bacteria at varying zone of inhibition (10.20±0.50 to 15.13±0.33 mm). The results revealed that leaf extracts were found to be more effective than stem extracts.