Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Anti Bacterial Activity of Senecio Tenuifolius Burm Family: Asteraceae

Senecio is a very large genus of flowering plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). Senecio tenuifolius is distributed all over the Indian peninsula. This plant is regarded as a medicinal plant is commonly found in the dry hills of southern India that extends from southern Maharashtra to Kerala and east wards through Karnataka and Tamilnadu. The aerial parts of the plant were taken and subjected to extraction with alcohol. The extracts was screened for phytochemical screening, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and Anti bacterial activity against the Gram-positive (Streptococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherischia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia) organisms using cup-well method. From experimentation, the extracts were found to contain alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, carbohydrates and phenolic compounds in various concentrations. Anti bacterial studies revealed that strain specific concentration is screened with the extracts and zone of inhibition is compared with that of concentrations and standard. Also control vehicle (alcohol) is maintained. Gentamycin, the standard antibacterial drug used was effective in inhibiting these bacteria. The inhibition increased in the dose dependent manner from 50mg, 100mg, and 150mg. Zone of inhibition has been shown only for the Bacillus subtilis and E.Coli.