Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Aqueous and Acetone Root Extracts from Cordia dichotoma

Abstract

The emergence of antibiotic resistance has renewed interest in exploring plant-based antimicrobial compounds. This study investigated the antimicrobial potential of root extracts from Cordia dichotoma, a traditional medicinal plant widely distributed across Asia. Root samples were collected and extracted using two solvents (acetone and distilled water) through both maceration and Soxhlet extraction methods. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenolic compounds, glycosides, tannins, and flavonoids across different extracts. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against both Gram-positive (Bacillus pumilus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria using the well diffusion method. The acetone maceration extract demonstrated superior antimicrobial activity with 90% inhibition against both test organisms, showing zones of inhibition of 52.5 mm and 51 mm against B. pumilus and E. coli, respectively. The Soxhlet acetone extract showed moderate activity with 58% inhibition against B. pumilus and 52% against E. coli. Aqueous extracts exhibited comparatively lower antimicrobial activity, with the Soxhlet extract showing 44% inhibition against B. pumilus and 58% against E. coli, while the maceration extract showed 50% and 37% inhibition, respectively. These findings suggest that acetone is a more effective solvent for extracting antimicrobial compounds from C. dichotoma roots, with the maceration process yielding better results than Soxhlet extraction. This study provides scientific validation for the traditional use of C. dichotoma in treating infectious diseases and suggests its potential as a source of novel antimicrobial compounds.