Anatomical, phytochemical and antimicrobial studies of Hyptis suaveolens L. Poit. of family Lamiaceae from South India.

Abstract

The present study deals with the anatomical, phytochemical and antimicrobial investigations on the lamiaceae member of Hyptis suaveolens (L). Poit, collected from the district Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Hyptis suaveolens L. Poit. a commonest plant in India. H.suaveolens L. Poit. is undershrub or herb measuring about 120-170 cm tall. Stem quadrangular, hairy. Leaves aromatic, ovate, tomentose, pale green, turn into purplish green. Calyx tube larger, hairy and persistent in verticillaster inflorescence. Anatomical characters observed to be outer and lower epidermis layers of the leaves were covered by multi-cellular hairs. Pallisade was poorly developed while mesophyll is filled with compact parenchyma. Midrib and Vascular bundles were well developed having secondary growth with broad vessels. An attempt has been made to carryout screening phyto constituents and antimicrobial ability of various extract of Hyptis suaveolens (L.) poit. Shade dried aerial parts were of H.suaveolens was used. Successive solvent extraction of hexane, chloroform and methanol were extracted using Soxhlet apparatus with increasing polarity. The qualitative analysis confirmed the presence of alkaloids, tannin and saponin in leaves. Alkaloids showed high scores while tannins showed moderate scores but saponins indicated low scores. Aromatic oil is found in 6.8 % in 5 gm of dry weight of aerial parts of H.suaveolens. Antimicrobial activity was screened by agar well diffusion method. Activities of hexane, chloroform and methanol extracts of H.suaveolens (L.) poit were tested against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa, proteus vulgaris and Aspergillus Niger, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium and Rhizopus. The antimicrobial activity was observed by measuring the width of the inhibitory zones. Hexane and chloroform extract showed mild to moderate inhibitory activity against organisms tested. Methanolic extract showed highest inhibitory activity against tested microflora with maximum inhibitory zone. It can be concluded that the active chemical compounds present in Hyptis suaveolens (L.) poit showed promising in treatment of bacterial and fungal infectious disease.