In vitro Assessment of Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activity of Rhizophora apiculata leaf extracts

Abstract

In the present scenario, in the field of human disease management, there is a necessity to substitute the antibiotics with better alternatives so as to overcome the problem of multidrug resistance (MDR). Herbal drugs can best serve the purpose as they are being used as the traditional remedy for various ailments. Mangrove plants are being used in the modern medicine as they possess varied phytochemicals with therapeutic value. The phytochemicals in the leaves of Rhizophora apiculata were extracted into petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol and double distilled water through Soxhlet extraction. The antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the leaf extracts was assessed by agar well diffusion, DPPH and FRAP assays respectively. The leaf extracts of R. apiculata showed the range of inhibitory activity against P.aeruginosa 3.4±0.9 to 4.6±0.5; A.hydrophila 3.9±0.8 to 6.1±1.1; S. aureus 2.4±1.3 to 3.6±1.0, B.subtilis 1.8±0.7 to 3.1±0.7, Antioxidant activity; FRAP 123.6±0.9 to 148±1.1 and DPPH 72.3±0.9 to 83.1±1.4. The aqueous leaf extract of R.apiculata exhibited maximum potency for antibacterial, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4.6±0.5mm), Aeromonas hydrophila (6.1±1.1mm), Staphylococcus aureus (3.6±1.0mm), Bacillus subtilis (3.1±0.7mm), antioxidant activity, DPPH 83.1±1.4 and FRAP 148±1.1AAEµg/ml.