Screening and antibacterial activity analysis of some important medicinal plants

The screening and study of five different plant specimens belonging to different families for phytochemical constituents was performed using generally accepted laboratory technique for qualitative determinations. The constituents screened were saponins, combined anthraquinones, terpenoids, flavonoids, carotenoids, steroids, xantho proteins, couramins, alkaloids, quinones, vitamin C. The distribution of these constituents in the plant specimens were assessed and compared. The medicinal plant studied were Acalypha indica, Camellia sinensis, Plectranthus amboinicus, Curcuma longa, Rauvolfia tetraphylla. All the plant speciemens were found to contain terpenoids, xantho proteins, couramins and vitamin C. They also contain Saponins (except Curcuma longa), Combined anthroquinones (except Acalypha indica, Camellia sinensis, Curcuma longa) flavonoids (except Acalypha indica, Camellia sinensis), Carotenoids (except Acalypha indica, Curcuma longa), and steroids (except Plectranthus amboinicus, Rauvolfia tetraphylla) Quinones were found in one out of the five specimens. Some of the medicinal plant seemed to have potential as source of useful drugs. Though the one percent extracts of all the plants showed some degree of antimicrobial activity, it was significant in Acalypha indica, Camellia sinensis, Plectranthus amboinicus, Curcuma longa, and Rauvolfia tetraphylla. The extract of Camellia sinensis and Acalypha indica was most effective against Enterobacter faecalis (ZI = 3 cm and ZI = 1.7cm) and Camellia sinensis and Acalypha indica was most effective against Staphylococcus aureus (ZI = 2.1 cm).