. Manoj Kumar*, Sukumar Dandapat, Amit Kumar and M. P. Sinha
. Department of Zoology, Ranchi University, Ranchi *e-mail: scholar.manojkumar@gmail.com
Abstract type: extended abstract
Abstract published in:
National Seminar on Values of Information Zoology
Abstract no. 69
Herbal medicines are gaining popularity in developing countries (Kumar et al, 2013), as the lifestyle is becoming more andmore stressful, people are striving to stay healthy and with the rise in cases of side effects·of synthetic medicines and evolution of multi-drug resistant (MDR) disease-causing organisms, there is an inclination towards the use of herbal medicines (Kumar et al, 2013). About 30-40 % of today's conventional medicines come from the herbal supplements, botanicals and nutraceuticals (Kumar et al, 2013).
Typhoid fever is a global infection caused by bacterium Salmonella typhi. The disease is transmitted by water, milk, fruits and vegetables that are contaminated with Salmonella typhi. It may be also transmitted by healthy carriers and infected food handlers and may be carried mechanically from feces to the food by flies. Although typhoid fever may be treated with antibiotics, the resistance of Salmonella typhi towards the antibiotics is widespread. Inrecent years there has been a rise in multi drug resistance in Salmonella typhi all over the world (Kumar et al, 2013). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common bacterium which is known to cause disease in animals as well as humans. It is an opportunistic pathogenfo r both plant and animal (Iglewski, 1996). Inhigher plants Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to cause soft rot (Walker et al.,, 2004). Pseudomonas aeruginosa typically infects the pulmonary tract, urinary tract, bums; wounds and is
also known to cause blood infections (Fine et al., 1996).
The fresh leaves were collected, shade dried for 15 days, and were made to fine powder, 50 g of powder was subjected to extraction by Soxhlet extractor. The extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening, antibacterial analy sis was done against Salmonella typhl and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by agar disc diffusion method and broth dilution method.
The results of phytochemical analysis reveal the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, phenols and flav6hoids. Tannin content is highest in Vitex negundo (93.9 ± 2033mg/g) and phenol content is lowest (8.1 ± 0.5 mg/g). The phytochemicals (alkaloids, phenols, tannins etc. present in the plants are responsible for their medicinal properties (Palombo, 2006). The phenols possess redox properties and th.us bestow antioxidant properties to the plants owning them; they act as hydrogen donors, reducing agents and metal chelators (Cook and Samman, 1996). Flavonoids and tannins constitute the major group o(antioxidant compounds, that act as primary antioxidants or free radical scavengers Tannins, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and sterols etc. ha e also been found active against pathogenic bacteria (Kennedy and Wightman , 2011).
The Vitex negundo extract was found to be effective against both bacteria, with MIC equal to 5mg/ml in broth dilution method as well as agar disc diffusion method. Zone of inhibition was 1.45 and 1.99 mm for 2.5 mg extract concentration and 3 and 4 mm for 5 mg extract concentrati on. Tannins, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and sterols have been found ·to have growth inhibitory impact on Salmonella typhi .Dandapat et al. attributed the antibacterial activity of Cinamomum tamala to phytochemical constituents (tannin, saponin, flavonoids, polyphenols and alkaloids) of the plant. Since the plant contains major phytochemicals (alkaloids, tannins, saponins, phenols and flavonoids) which are major contents responsible for the antibacterial properties of the plants possessing them. The antibacterial activities of Vitex negundo can be attributed to the phytochemical contents, Vitexnegundo casn be used in medicinal formulations , for eradicating Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
