Phytochemical Screening and in Vitro Antimicrobial Investigation of the Methanolic Extract of Xanthium strumarium Leaf

Extract in organic solvent methanol of X. strumarium evaluated for their Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activities against eight pathogenic bacteria such as, Klebsiella pneumoniae NCIM 2719, Proteus vulgaris NCTC 8313, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Pseudomonas putida ATCC 12842, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 23564, Bacillus cereus ATCC 12842, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228. It was carried out by taking the Methanolic extracts of leaf at a concentration of 50 mg/ml and100 mg/ml their activities were recorded by estimating zones of inhibition as produced by disc-diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton agar media. Based on the activity and preliminary phytochemical analysis TLC and bioautography with different solvent systems resoluted for compounds at different RF valued simultaneously TLCbio-autography was performed to determine active compounds RF based on TLC. *Corresponding author, Mailing address: Pogu Srinivas Associate Professor Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology Vikas College of Pharmacy Vikas nagar, Shameerpet Mdl. Jangaon; Dist: Warangal A.P (India). Email: [email protected] Article History:-----------------------Date of Submission: 31-10-2011 Date of Acceptance: 01-11-2011 Conflict of Interest: NIL Source of Support: NONE F U L L L e n g t h R e s e a r c h P a p e r C o v e r e d i n I n d e x C o p e r n i c u s w i t h I C V a l u e 4 .6 8 f o r 2 0 1 0 Int. J. Drug Dev. & Res., Oct-Dec 2011, 3 (4): 286-293 Covered in Scopus & Embase, Elsevier 286 dependable. The production of medicines and the pharmacological treatment of diseases began with the use of herbs [1]. Some of the effects elaborated by extract of plants used in traditional medicine include antiviral, antitumor, antimicrobial, insecticide, etc. As a part of antibacterial production plants have many ways of generating antibacterial compounds to protect them against pathogens[2]. Nature has been source of medicinal agents for thousands of years and an impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources. Many medicinal plants are used in modern medicine where they occupy a very significant place as raw materials for important drugs and plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat chronic as well as infectious diseases. X. strumarium is an annual herb with a short, stout, hairy stem. Leaves broadly triangular-ovate or suborbicular; flower heads in terminal and axillary racemes; white or green; numerous; male upper most; female ovoid, covered with hooked bristles; Fruit obovoid, enclosed in the hardened involucre, with 2 hooked beaks and hooked bristles. Flowering time in India is August-September. It can be propagated through seeds. This weed is easily dispersed through animals as the fruits have hooked bristles and 2 strong hooked beaks [3]. The whole plant, specially root and fruit, is used as medicine. According to Ayurveda, X. strumarium is cooling, laxative, fattening, anthelmintic, alexiteric, tonic, digestive, antipyretic, and improves appetite, voice, complexion, and memory. It cures leucoderma, biliousness, and poisonous bites of insects, epilepsy, salivation and fever. The plant of Xanthium yields xanthinin which acts as a plant growth regulator. Antibacterial activity of xanthinin has also been reported. Seed yields semi-drying edible oil (30-35%) which resembles sunflower oil and used in bladder infection, herpes, and erysipelas. Cake can be used as manure whereas shell can be used as activated carbon[4,5]. The plant has been reported as fatal to cattle and pigs. Materials and Methods The investigations embodied in this thesis were carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Vikas College of pharmacy, and Jangaon. Laboratory experiments are carried out under uniform laboratory conditions. Field experiments were conducted in the experimental fields attached to the Department. Throughout the investigations, whenever requires and unless otherwise mentioned Merck or sigma analytical grade chemicals are used. The glassware was Merck or Borosil mark. It was thoroughly washed in chromic acid and rinsed with distilled water before the use for experiment. Standard methodology recommended by various investigators was employed in these investigations. The data obtained in these investigations was subjected to statistical analysis. The interferences are drawn on my own observations and also taking the help of valuable information available on the subject. Plant Material Based on ethnomedical information and literature surveys the following plants were selected for study. X. strumarium leaves were collected from rural areas of Jangaon, Warangal Dist, AP, India. The taxonomic identities of these plants were confirmed by department of Botany, A.B.V Govt. Deg. College and Jangaon, India. A brief description of the and systemic position is provided with: [6]. Fresh leaves of plant free from diseases were collected and bought to laboratory in sterile polyethylene bags and washed thoroughly 2-3 times with running tap water and then once with sterile water, shade dried for two weeks, subsequently ground into fine powder using mechanical grinder and motor driven grinding mill . The powder was used for extraction of crude extracts. P. Srinivas et al: Phytochemical Screening and in Vitro Antimicrobial Investigation of the Methanolic Extract of Xanthium strumarium Leaf