S. Rajaperumal, M. Nimmi and B. D. Ranjitha Kumari
The present study has been under taken with an objective to determine the antimicrobial, anti oxidant and cytotoxic activity of the methanolic root extract of Indiofera aspalathoides (Vahl ex Dc) by using different solvents( methanol, ethanol, aqueous). The selected medicinal plant was collected from the campus of Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli. Antibacterial activity was carried out against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Antioxidant property was determined quantitatively. Determination of cytotoxic activity of the methanolic root extract was carried out on human lung cancer cell line NCL H460.Among the different solvent extracts used in the study, the methanolic root extract showed highest antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity against microbes and human cancer cell line respectively. The extract screened for phytochemical analysis was found to contain bioactive compounds like steroids, saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic compound, anthraquinones, tannins and reducing sugars. The methanolic root extract inhibited the growth of all bacterial and fungal pathogens tested. Among the bacterial species tested (Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa),highest zone of inhibition was found in K. pnemoniae (1.8 cm) and among the fungal pathogens tested (Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, Candida albicans), highest inhibition zone was noticed against A. fumigates (1.6 cm). The strong antioxidant activity was observed at 20μg/ml with an IC 50 value of 18.1 μg/mL higher than that of the standard (Ascorbic acid) .The cytotoxic effect of methanolic root extract on lung cancer cell line NCL H460 was studied. Thin layer chromatography analysis of the methanolic root extract showed 5 compounds. The percentage of cell viability was found to decrease with increasing concentration of the extract. This study suggests that methanolic root extract of Indigofera aspalathoides have profound antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic effect.
