Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Momordica charantia L. leaves

Abstract

Momordica charantia L. is used as a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent to fight infections. This work aimed at evaluating antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of hydroethanolic extract of Momordica charantia leaves. The extract was obtained by maceration of crude leaf powder (hydroethanolic 30:70). The phytochemical screening was focused on the detection of major chemical groups. The total flavonoid contents were studied using the aluminum chloride colorimetric method. The antioxidant capacity was carried out by the phosphomolybdate reduction method and by FRAP method. The antimicrobial activity of the extract was carried out by the diffusion method and micro dilution. Our extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenol compounds, saponins, triterpenes, flavonoids. The total flavonoids contents of our extract is 143.65 ± 2.51 mg RE/g. The antioxidant activity by the phosphomolybdate reduction method and by the FRAP method are respectively 65.42 ± 6.24 mg AAE/g and 165.5 ± 17.55mg FSE/g. The extract of Momordica charantia has bactericidal action on Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Staphylococcus aureus SARM, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Cutibacterium acnes ATCC 6919 and fungistatic action on Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Momordica charantia could be a new source of antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. A fractionation and identification of biomolecules will be investigated.