Pharmacognostic Evaluation, Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Activity of Stem Bark of Ficus Krishnae

Abstract

Ficus krishnae is a perennial plant, used in number of folklore medicine, to treat ulcer, vomiting, fever, inflammation, diabetes, dysentery, leprosy and cancer etc. The present research deals with the study of pharmacognostic, phytochemical and antimicrobial activity of stem bark of Ficus krishnae. The pharmacognostic parameters for the study were physicochemical, fluorescence analysis and preliminary phytochemical screening along with mineral analysis. In physicochemical evaluation the ash value and extract value were studied. The antimicrobial activity of the stem bark extract against pathogenic strains was evaluated based on the inhibition zone using well diffusion assay; minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) is studied using micro dilution method. The powder of Ficus krishnae was successively extracted with petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and aqueous by hot soxhlet extraction. The preliminary screening was carried out for different extract. Fluorescence analysis has showed the normal ranges of fluorescence colour for the crude powder. The preliminary phytochemical screening resat also indicated the presence of principle active compounds of Ficus krishnae which include phenols, flavonoids, saponin, alkaloids, glycosides, oils, fats, steroids, proteins and carbohydrates. The inorganic element analysisstudy indicated the presence of calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, molybdenum, vanadium, titanium and cadmium. In the present study we have tested antimicrobial activity of Petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and Aqueous extractions of stem bark of Ficus krishnae plant against six bacteria (E.coli, Staphylococcus aureus, ENT, Enterococcus fecalis, salmonella typhi,) and one fungi (Aspergillus niger). These studies gives information of physicochemical character and preliminary property of stem bark of Ficus krisnae for the identification of crude drug and it promote the search for isolation of medicinally valuable active compounds.