Phytochemical Evaluation and in Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Sphaeranthus indicus (L.)—An Important Antijaundice Medicinal Plant

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to study the antibacterial activity of Sphaeranthus indicus from leaf, stem and root extracts by the sequential cold maceration method against selected laboratory bacterial pathogens such as Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida by the agar well diffusion method. Zone of inhibition measured (mm) was compared with standard antibiotics such as Tetracycline, Erythromycin and Ampicillin. The organic solvents such as ethanol, methanol, petroleum ether, chloroform as well as distilled water extracts were employed. Among all the extracts, tested ethanolic leaf extracts have showed more antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Phytochemical screening methods were also done to identify the major secondary metabolites in the present species such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, steroids and tannins. This study concluded that Sphaeranthus indicus had the sufficient antibacterial activity due to the presence of various secondary metabolites.