SCREENING OF PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES OF METHANOLIC BARK EXTRACTS OF Maclura cochinchinensis (LOUR.) CORNER

Maclura cochinchinensis is a traditionally used medicinal plant, aqueous bark extract of which is consumed by the Karbi tribe of Assam, India to treat jaundice. In view of its medical significance, the study was designed to see its phytochemicals, antioxidant and antimicrobial property. All the phytochemical constituents under study were tested positive. The total phenolic content and flavonoids were found to be 35.98±0.97 mg gallic acid equivalent/g and 21.52±0.44 mg Quercetin/g dry extract. The extract showed excellent DPPH antioxidant activity with IC50 value 46.32±0.21μg/ml. Similarly, the IC50 of hydroxy radical, nitric oxide radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition were 154.25±0.47 μg/ml, 112.19±0.22 μg/ml, 164±0.44 μg/ml and 99.50±0.35 μg/ml, 42.38±0.17 μg/ml, 119.55±0.37 for plant extract and ascorbic acid, respectively. Antibacterial study of the plant extract showed positive test to Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus with minimum inhibition concentration ranging from 125 to 500 μg/ml. Our experiments suggest that the bark-extract the M. cochinchinensis could be a potential source of natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent and may be a good candidate for plant based pharmaceutical products.