Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Successive Series of  Solanum xanthocarpum

 

Sudhanshu1, Mittal Sandhya1, Rao Nidhi1, Menghani Ekta2*

1Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur. 22. India.

2Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Applied Sciences, JECRC University, Jaipur-22. India.

 

 

ABSTRACT:

Antimicrobial activity of the extracts of Solanum xanthocarpum against bacteria and fungus was evaluated. Plant extracts of S. xanthocarpum were prepared in distilled water and in organic solvents, petroleum ether, chloroform, benzene, ethyl acetate and ethanol. Disc diffusion method technique was used to assess the antimicrobial activity of various extracts against Shigella flexneri, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter aerogenes, Aspergillus niger , Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum. The diameter of zone of inhibition was taken as an indicator of antimicrobial effect. Except aqueous extracts of S. xanthocarpum, extracts prepared in organic solvents showed antimicrobial activity against the test organisms. Methanol extract showed the best activity against all test microorganisms than other solvent extracts. The maximum efficacy of methanol extract A4 (200mg concentration) was against Staphylococcus aureus (I.Z.-23mm) was screened. Thus, S. xanthocarpum could be considered as a potential source of natural antimicrobials.

 

KEYWORDS: Solanum xanthocarpum, antimicrobial activity, organic solvents.

 

INTRODUCTION:

More than the last few decades, a enormous attention has residential in pointed for antimicrobial drugs from natural plant products. This notice chiefly arises from the faith that drugs copied from plants are protected and reliable compared with synthetic drugs that may contain adverse effects on host as well their high cost. Natural antimicrobials came from a broad collection of sources counting plants, animals and microorganisms (Gordon and David, 2001). Researchers have so far discovered approximately over 10,000 biologically active compounds of microbial origin (Shahidi et al., 2004). Recently, a lot of bacterial pathogens are becoming resistant to existing antibiotics owing to their indiscriminate use in the action of infectious diseases (Davis, 1994; Service, 1995; Shears, 2000). So, there is a demand to find out new and well-organized antimicrobials from other sources such as plants (Cordell, 2000; Karaman et al., 2003; Raghavendra et al., 2005).

 

Solanum xanthocarpum has thoughtful use in Ayurveda and folklore medicine. It is a normally rising perennial herbaceous weed with bright green leaves and zig-zag stem, mostly found in the arid region. It is hypothetical that the plant has solasonine in its diverse parts, which is accountable for its medicinal value (Oudhia, 2007). In the present study an attempt was made to screen different extracts prepared from S. xanthocarpum for its antimicrobial action against bacteria and fungi.

 


MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Collection:

Plant sample Solanum xanthocarpum was collected from various tribes living in tribal pockets of Mt. Abu, arid zone of Rajasthan, in the month of July, 2009. These plants were used by these tribes in their daily lives to cure various ailments.

 

Identification:

These samples were authenticated and submitted in Ethnomedicinal Herbarium, Centre of Excellence funded by DST, MGiaS, Jaipur (Rajasthan).

 

Sources of test organisms:

Bacteria-Pure culture of all test organisms, namely Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobactor aerogenes and fungi Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Trichophyton rubrum  were obtained through the courtesy of Mahatma Gandhi Institute of applied Sciences (MGiaS), Jaipur, which were maintained on Nutrient broth media. Culture of test microbes: For the cultivation of bacteria, Nutrient Agar Medium (NAM) was prepared by using 20 g Agar, 5 g Peptone, 3 g beef extract and 3 g NaCl in 1 L distilled water and sterilized at 15 lbs pressure and 121°C temperature for 25-30 min. Agar test plates were prepared pouring approximately 15 ml of NAM into the Petri dishes (10 mm) under aseptic conditions. A saline solution was prepared (by mixing 0.8% NaCl) in distilled water, followed by autoclaving and the bacterial\ cultures were maintained on this medium by regular sub-culturing and incubation at 37°C for 24-48 h. To prepare the test plates, in bacteria, 10-15 ml of the respective medium was poured into the Petri plates and used for screening. For assessing the bactericidal efficacy, a fresh suspension of the test bacteria was prepared in saline solution from a freshly grown Agar slant.

 

Preparation of test extracts:

Crushed powders of species were successively soxhlet extracted. Later, each of the homogenates was filtered and the residue was re-extracted twice for complete exhaustion, the extracts were cooled individually. Each filtrate was concentrated to dryness in vitro and re dissolved in respective solvents, were stored at 4°C in a refrigerator, until screened for antibacterial activity.

 

Bactericidal assay:

For both, bactericidal in vitro Disc diffusion method was adopted 2, because of reproducibility and precision. The different test organisms were proceeded separately using a sterile swab over previously sterilized culture medium plates and the zone of inhibition were measured around sterilized dried discs of Whattman No. 1 paper (6 mm in diameter), which were containing three different concentration, its control (of the respective solvent) and tetracycline as reference drugs (standard disk) separately. Such treated discs were air-dried at room temperature to remove any residual solvent, which might interfere with the determination, sterilized and inoculated. These plates were initially placed at low temperature for 1 h so as to allow the maximum diffusion of the compounds from the test disc into the agar plate and later, incubated at 37°C for 24 h in case of bacteria, after which the zones of inhibition could be easily observed. Five replicates of each test extract were examined and the mean values were then referred.

 

The Inhibition Zone (IZ) in each case were recorded and the Activity Index (AI) was calculated as compared with those of their respective standard reference drugs (AI = Inhibition Zone of test sample/Inhibition zone of standard).

 

Phytochemical Screening:

Phytochemical screening was performed using standard procedure:

 

Test for reducing sugars (Fehling’s Test):

The aqueous ethanol extract (0.5gm in 5 ml of water) was added to boiling Fehling’s solution (A and B) in a test tube. The solution was observed for a colour reaction.

 

Test for terpenoides (Salkowski Test)-:

To 0.5 gm each of the extract was added to 2ml of chloroform. Concentrated sulphuric acid (3ml) was carefully added to form a layer. Reddish brown coloration of the interface indicates the presence of terpenoides.

 

Test for flavonoides:

4ml of extract solution was treated with 1.5ml of 50% methanol solution. The solution was warmed and metal magnesium was added. To this solution, 5-6 drops of concentrated Hydrochloride acid was added and red colour was observed for flavonoids and orange color for flavons.

 

Test for tannins:

About 0.5 g of the extract was boiled in 10ml of water in a test tube and then filtered. A few drops of 0.1% ferric chloride was added and observed for brownish green or a blue-black coloration.

 

Test for saponins:

To 0.5 g of extract was added 5 ml of distilled water in a test tube. The solution was shaken vigorously, and observed for a stable persistent froth. The frothing was mixed with 3 drops of olive oil and shaken vigorously after which it was observed for the formation of an emulsion.

 

Test for alkaloids:

Alkaloids solutions produce white yellowish precipitate when a few drops of Mayer’s reagents are added. Most alkaloids are precipitated from neutral or slightly acidic solution by Mayer’s regent. The alcoholic extract was heated on a boiling water bath with 2% hydrochloric acid. After cooling, the mixture was filtered and treated with a few drops of Mayer’s reagent. The sample was then observed for the turbidity or yellow precipitation.

 

 


Table 1: Preliminary phytochemical screening of the plant Solanum xanthocarpum. [(+: present) (- : absent).

PLANTS

Reducing     sugar

Terpenoides

Flavonoids

  Tannin

Saponin

Extracts

      

Pet. ether

+ve

+ve

-ve

-ve

+ve

Benzene

+ve

+ve

-ve

+ve

+ve

Chloroform

+ve

+ve

-ve

+ve

-ve

Ethyl acetate

+ve

-ve

-ve

+ve

+ve

Methanol

+ve

-ve

-ve

+ve

-ve

Distilled water

+ve

+ve

+ve

+ve

-ve


 

 


Table No. 2: Anti microbial activity of the petroleum ether, chloroform, benzene, ethyl acetate and ethanol and distilled water extracts of Solanum xanthacarpum.

 

 

 

 

Sf

Sa

St

Pv

Kp

Pa

Ea

     An

  Ca

    Tr

1

Pet. Ether

A1

I.Z.

0

6

6

0

7

7

0

12

0

6

 

 

 

A.I.

0

0.30

0.20

0

0.17

0.43

0

0.50

0

0.21

 

 

A2

I.Z.

7

7

7

8

7

7

9

0

7

7

 

 

 

A.I.

0.20

0.35

0.23

0.18

0.17

0.43

0.21

0

0.18

0.25

 

 

A3

I.Z.

7

6

7

8

7

7

10

21.3

7

9

 

 

 

A.I

0.20

0.30

0.23

0.18

0.17

0.43

0.24

0.88

0.18

0.32

2

Benzene

A1

I.Z.

7

0

8

8

9

8

0

7

8

7

 

 

 

A.I.

0.20

0

0.26

0.18

0.22

0.50

0

0.29

0.21

0.25

 

 

A2

I.Z.

8

8

9

9

8

8

0

7

8

7

 

 

 

A.I.

0.22

0.40

0.30

0.20

0.18

0.50

0

0.29

0.21

0.25

3

Chloroform

A1

I.Z.

12

9

11

8

8

0

0

0

12

9

 

 

 

A.I.

0.34

0.45

0.36

0.18

0.20

0

0

0

0.32

0.32

 

 

A2

I.Z.

15

12

19

19

18

9

12

0

19

10

 

 

 

A.I.

0.62

0.60

0.63

0.43

0.40

0.56

0.29

0

0.51

0.35

4

Ethyl acetate

A1

I.Z.

0

8

9

9

9

8

0

8

10

8

 

 

 

A.I.

0

0.40

0.30

0.20

0.22

0.50

0

0.33

0.27

0.28

 

 

A2

I.Z.

9

0

10

9

0

9

8

7

10

8

 

 

 

A.I.

0.25

0

0.33

0.20

0

0.56

0.19

0.29

0.27

0.28

 

 

A3

I.Z.

8

13

9

9

8

8

9

8

9

9

 

 

 

A.I.

0.22

0.65

0.30

0.20

0.20

0.50

0.21

0.33

0.24

0.32

5

Methanol

A1

I.Z.

11

14

9

10

11

11

9

11

14

14

 

 

 

A.I.

0.31

0.70

0.30

0.22

0.27

0.68

0.21

0.45

0.37

0.50

 

 

A2

I.Z.

11

17.3

13.3

10

9

14

8

8

9

11

 

 

 

A.I.

0.31

0.86

0.44

0.22

0.22

0.87

0.19

0.33

0.24

0.39

 

 

A3

I.Z.

13

20

11

14

15

14

8

0

19

17

 

 

 

A.I

0.37

1

0.36

0.31

0.37

0.87

0.19

0

0.51

0.60

 

 

A4

I.Z.

0

23

11

10

15

13

8

8

13

11

 

 

 

A.I.

0

1.15

0.36

0.22

0.37

0.81

0.19

0.33

0.35

0.39

 

 

A5

I.Z.

13

19

19

11

13

15

8

7

19

19

 

 

 

A.I.

0.37

0.95

0.63

0.25

0.32

0.93

0.19

0.29

0.51

0.67

6

D. Water

A1

I.Z.

13

9

10

0

8

10

10

10

10

13

 

 

 

A.I.

0.37

0.37

0.33

0

0.20

0.62

0.24

0.50

0.27

0.46

 

 

A2

I.Z.

13

8

10

0

0

8

13

10

9

10

 

 

 

A.I.

0.37

0.33

0.33

0

0

0.50

0.31

0.50

0.24

0.35

 

 

A3

I.Z.

14

9

10

0

9

8

11

11

10

12

 

 

 

A.I

0.40

0.37

0.33

0

0.22

0.50

0.26

0.55

0.27

0.42

 

 

A4

I.Z.

15

10

11

8

9

8

12

10

11

12

 

 

 

A.I.

0.42

0.41

0.36

0.18

0.22

0.50

0.29

0.50

0.29

0.42

 

 

A5

I.Z.

15

10

13

0

7

8

11

9

11

12

 

 

 

A.I.

0.42

0.41

0.43

0

0.17

0.50

0.26

0.45

0.29

0.42

 

 


RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Phytochemical screening:

Phytochemical analysis for Solanum xanthocarpum extract was performed and the phyto constituents reported in the Table no.1.

 

The result of the phytochemical screening of Solanum xanthacarpum (Pasarkateli) is presented in Table 2. This reveals moderate concentration of reducing sugar, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids and tannin in different extraction solvents, some of which chemical compounds have been associated to antimicrobial activities and thus have curative properties against selected bacteria and fungi. Standard method were used for preliminary phytochemical screening of the extract was performed to know the phyto-constituents in the extract and it was found that petroleum extract contains reducing sugar, terpenoids and saponins, benzene extract contains reducing sugar, terpenoids, tannin and saponins, chloroform extract contain reducing sugar, terpenoids and tannin, ethyl acetate extract contains reducing sugar, tannin and saponins, methanol extract contains  reducing sugar  and tannin  and distilled water extract contains redusing sugar, terpenoids, tannin  and flavonoids.

Antimicrobial Activity:

Antimicrobial activity of extracts from Solanum xanthacarpum was tested against Shigella flexneri, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter aero genes, Aspergillums Niger, Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum by using the disc diffusion method. The plates containing the micro organisms were then perforated and the disc were placed with 50mg/20disc,100mg/20disc,150mg/20disc,200mg/20disc,250mg/20disc concentrations. Microbial growth was determined by measuring the diameter of zone of inhibition.

 

Sf-Shigella flexneri, Sa- Staphylococcus aureus, St-Salmonella typhi, Pv- Proteus vulgaris, Kp- Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pa- Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Ee-Enterobacter aerogenes, An- Aspergillus niger, Ca-Candida albicans, Tr- Trichophyton rubrum ; 0 - no inhibition zone.

 

In the present investigation, the petroleum ether, chloroform, benzene, ethyl acetate and ethanol and distilled water extracts exhibited nearly similar considerable antimicrobial activity indicating the suitability of these solvents for dissolving most of the bioactive compounds of the plants. All the extracts highly affected the activity of bacteria and fungi. Methanol extract showed the best activity against all test microorganisms than other solvent extracts. The maximum efficacy of pet.ether extract A3 (150mg concentration) was against Aspergillus niger (I.Z.-21.33mm), Enterobacter aerogenes (I.Z.-10mm), Trichophyton rubrum (I.Z.-9mm) The maximum efficacy of benzene extract A1 (50mg concentration) was against Klebsiella pneumoniae (I.Z.-9mm), Salmonella typhi (I.Z.-8mm), whereas no activity against Enterobacter aerogenes has been screened.

 

The maximum efficacy of chloroform extract A2 (100mg concentration) was against Salmonella typhi (I.Z.-19mm), Proteus vulgaris (I.Z.-9mm), Candida albicans (I.Z.-19mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (I.Z.-18mm), Shigella Flexneri (I.Z.-15mm) whereas no activity against Aspergillus niger has been screened. The maximum efficacy of ethyl acetate extract A3 (150mg concentration) was against Staphylococcus aureus (I.Z.-13mm), Salmonella typhi (I.Z.-9mm), Proteus vulgaris (I.Z.-9mm), Enterobacter aerogenes (I.Z.-9mm) and the maximum efficacy of methanol extract A4 (200mg concentration) was against Staphylococcus aureus (I.Z.-23mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (I.Z.-15mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (I.Z.-13mm)  and A3 (150mg concentration) was active against Staphylococcus aureus (I.Z.-20mm), Candida albicans (I.Z.-19mm), Trichophyton rubrum (I.Z.-17mm) and A5 (250mg concentration) was also active against Staphylococcus aureus (I.Z.-19mm), Candida albicans (I.Z.-19mm), Trichophyton rubrum (I.Z.-19mm) and A2 (100mg concentration) was active against Staphylococcus aureus (I.Z.-17.33mm), and the maximum efficacy of distilled water extract A4 (200mg concentration) was against Shigella flexneri (I.Z.-15mm), Enterobacter aerogenes (I.Z.-12mm), Trichophyton rubrum (I.Z.-12mm)  and A5 (250mg concentration) was active against Shigella flexneri (I.Z.-15mm), Salmonella typhi (I.Z.-13mm)  have been screened ,even there is good activity against all the microorganisms (bacteria and fungi).

 


 

 

Fig-1. Antibacterial activity of petroleum ether, benzene, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol and distilled water extract of Solanum xanthacarpum.

A1-50 mg/20 disc, A2-100 mg/20 disc, A3-150mg/20 disc, A4-200mg/20 disc, A5-250mg/20 disc. I.Z. - Inhibition zone,  I.A. – Activity index.


There are many information on the antimicrobial action of S. xanthocarpum extracts in the literature. likewise, Javanmardi et al. (2003) reported that the sum phenolic content of different accessions of Ocimum are in the range of 6.07 to 65.5 mg GAE per dry weight. The total phenolics of alcoholic extracts may purpose as physically powerful antimicrobial compound(s) against the tested microorganisms.

 

Additional work on separation of various plant metabolites is necessary to determine the antimicrobial potential of S. xanthocarpum. It is obvious from the in attendance study that the extracts of examined parts of S. xanthocarpum were active against the tested microorganisms. Based these result and the medicinal potential of this plant, we put forward that additional phytochemical studies be performed to decide the chief active principles accountable for the antimicrobial result of this plant. The results hold up the use of this plant in folklore medicine for action of infectious diseases.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Author acknowledge with thanks the financial support from Department of Science and Technology, Government of Rajasthan, in the form of Centre with Potentials for Excellence in Biotechnology, sanction no F 7(17) (9) Wipro/Gaprio/2006/7358-46(31/10/2008).

 

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Received on 24.05.2012

Modified on 28.05.2012

Accepted on 30.05.2012

© A&V Publication all right reserved

Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 4(4): July- August 2012, 215-219