PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ANTIMICROBIAL INVESTIGATIONS OF ETHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF ALTERNANTHERA PHILOXEROIDES (MART.) GRISEB

The aim of the present study was to investigate antimicrobial efficacy of leaves of Alternanthera philoxeroides against various Gram positive, Gram negative bacteria and fungi in in-vitro. Susceptibility of Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans), Gram negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris) and fungi Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Trichoderma viridae were tested. The Alternanthera philoxeroides ethanol extract (APEE) of the leaf was prepared by cold maceration. The qualitative screening of phytochemical compounds showed the presence of steroids, glycosides, alkaloids, tannins and phenolic compounds. The APEE exhibited remarkable antimicrobial property against tested microorganisms. The activity of the extract was comparable with the reference standards tetracycline and fluconazole. MIC was performed by agar dilution method and the range was found to be 62.5 to 125 mg/ml. The current result supports the medicinal use of the leaves which acts as an antibacterial agent. However further studies needed to isolate the active constituents from the leaves and to study the antibacterial