Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Various Extracts of Michelia champaca Linn flowers

Michelia Champaca (Magnoliaceae) is a large medicinal plant which is traditionally used against a number of diseases including inflammatory conditions. Antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activities of various extracts of Michelia Champaca Linn flowers were investigated in this study. The study was aimed at determining the antioxidant activity (reducing powers, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activities) total flavonoid concentration and antimicrobial activities of pet. Ether, benzene, chloroform, ethanol, methanol and aqueous extracts of Michelia Champaca Linn flowers. The antioxidant activity of extracts increases with increase in amount of extract (5-20mg). DPPH free radical-scavenging activity of methanol, ethanol and aqueous extracts of Michelia Champaca Linn flowers, gallic and ascorbic acid standards were found to be 80.56, 90.20, 81.32, 91.34 and 93.64% respectively, at a concentration of 200μg/ ml and total flavonoid were in the range of 20.4 ± 0.22 g/100 g, 12.2 ± 0.12 g/100 g, 14.4 ± 0.22 g/100 g, crude extract of Champaca, respectively determined by using aluminum nitrate colorimetric method. M. Champaca showed narrow antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria tested. The crude extract exhibited high anticandidal activity on Candida albicans. Results of the present study suggest that M. Champaca flower extract possesses strong antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.