Antimicrobial Efficacy and Phytochemical Analysis of Calotropis gigantea (L.) R.Br.

Abstract

The leaves and root samples of Calotropis gigantea were screened for its antimicrobial and phytochemical activities. Solvent extraction was performed using solvents namely methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and hexane. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, phenols and tannins in both root and leaves extracts. In leaves, anthraquinone was present. In case of hexane only alkaloids, tannins and carbohydrates were present. Antimicrobial activity was performed against opportunistic pathogenic bacterial strains such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia using the disc diffusion method. The methanolic extract of root of Calotropis gigantea inhibited P. aeruginosa with a maximum zone of inhibition (18 ± 0.5 mm) at the maximum concentration tested. Hexane extract exhibited low inhibition activity. Similarly, the methanolic extract of leaves exhibited a zone of inhibition of 27± 0.8 mm against P. aeruginosa. The results were compared with standard antibiotics ampicillin, vancomycin and tetracycline. In present study, methanolic extract was found to exhibit effective anti-bacterial properties which could be attributed to the presence of phytochemical present in the extract.