Antibacterial properties of leaf extracts of Borreria hispida from Tamilandu regions, India

The present study aims at investigating the phytochemical composition, tannin content and antibacterial activity of leaf extracts of Borreria hispida. Phytochemical screening of various extracts such as aqueous, ethanol, chloroform, acetone and petroleum ether of leaf extracts, revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, phenols, flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, alkaloids and steroids. The leaf extracts were evaluated for tannins content with tannic acid as standard. The optimum yield of tannins was found in ethanol leaf extract (42mg TAE/g) of Borreria hispida. Different concentrations of ethanolic leaf extracts were tested for the anti-bacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli using the agar disc diffusion technique. The 75% ethanolic extracts from dry powdered leaf of Borreria hispida had superior level of antimicrobial activity. The powerful antibacterial effect is attributed to the greater amount of tannins compound in the ethanolic leaf extracts of Borreria hispida.