Preliminary studies on phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity of solvent extracts of Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.)Solms

The ethanol extract of leaves and shoot portion of the fresh Eichhornia crassipes were screened for the presence of various phytochemicals by standard procedures. The present study indicates that the fresh plant contain alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, sterols, terpenoids, anthoquinones and protein. The aqueous, chloroform fractionates and the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts were screened for antibacterial activity and antifungal activity against two bacteria Micrococcus luteus and Rhodospirillum rubrum and two fungi Monoscus ruber and Rhodospirillum rubrum by disk diffusion method. The extracts and fractionates of fresh Eichhornia crassipes showed a significant and remarkable activity against two bacteria and two fungal species when compared to standard. The present work shows the presence of significant secondary metabolites in the world’s worst weed and its appreciable antimicrobial activity.

Author(s): Thamaraiselvi, P. Lalitha* and P. Jayanthi

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