EXPLORATION OF IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL STUDIES OF MOMORDICA CYMBALARIA FENZL LEAVES EXTRACTSEXPLORATION OF IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL STUDIES OF MOMORDICA CYMBALARIA FENZL LEAVES EXTRACTS

摘要

Objective: The target of this current research work sought to analyze the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of ethyl acetate and hydro-alcoholic extracts of Momordica cymbalaria leaves through various in vitro assays. Methods: The antioxidant capability of the extracts to quench free radical was explored spectrophotometrically against DPPH, nitric oxide, superoxide anion, hydroxyl radicals and ferric reducing power. Metal chelating effect was also carried out by measuring the ferrous ion chelating property. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were assessed by Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminium chloride reagents. The antimicrobial activity of ethyl acetate and hydro-alcoholic extracts of Momordica cymbalaria leaves was screened by agar diffusion method using Klebsiella pneumoniae (Gram positive bacteria), Escherichia coli (Gram negative bacteria) and Aspergillus niger (Fungi) as test microbes. Results: The ethyl acetate and hydro-alcoholic extracts yielded 0.5551±0.78µgmL -1 , 0.2035±0.35µgmL -1 gallic acid equivalent phenolic content and 0.6666±0.24µgmL -1 ,0.1154±0.62µgmL -1 quercetin equivalent flavonoid content per 1 mg of plant extracts respectively. Overall, both extracts showed better antioxidant activity in a concentration-dependent manner due to better oxidative stability. Amongst the extracts, ethyl acetate extract exhibited a higher percentage of free radical scavenging effects, increment of phenolic and flavonoid contents, maximum reducing power and metal chelating property. The quantitative determination of the detected phytoconstituents in the ethyl acetate extract also indicated the dominant presence of alkaloid, phenolic, flavonoid and steroid contents. The antimicrobial study reveals that the Momordica cymbalaria leaves extracts exhibited significant inhibitory activity against the test pathogens when compared with the standard. Conclusion: The output of overall results evokes that ethyl acetate extract of Momordica cymbalaria leaves can be utilized as a potential source of antioxidants. Moreover, both the extracts can also be effectively used as an antimicrobial agent to fight against harmful pathogens. Keywords: Momordica cymbalaria , Oxidative stability, Folin-Ciocalteau, DPPH, Antimicrobial study, Agar diffusion method.