Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of solvent fractions of Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less leaf extract.

BACKGROUND Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less is used in folk medicine as a remedy for various diseases. OBJECTIVES The present study reports antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of solvent fractions of Vernonia cinerea. METHODS The antioxidant properties of solvent fractions of V. cinerea were evaluated by determining radicals scavenging activity, total flavonoid and phenolic contents measured with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) test, the aluminum chloride and the Folin-ciocalteau methods, respectively. Antimicrobial activities were tested against human pathogenic microorganisms using agar diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of each active extract were determined. RESULTS The ethyl acetate fraction having the IC50 value of 6.50 µg/mL demonstrated comparable DPPH radical-scavenging activity with standard antioxidants, gallic acid and quercetin included in the study. All fractions displayed moderate antimicrobial potential against the tested pathogens with the zone of inhibition that ranged from 9.0 to 13.5 mm. The MIC (1.56 mg/mL) and MBC (3.13 mg/mL) indicated highest susceptibility of Candida albicans in all fractions. CONCLUSION The results of this study showed that the solvent fractions of V. cinerea possess antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, hence justifying the folkloric use of the plant for the treatment of various ailments in traditional medicine.