Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Antimicrobial Activity of Tree Bark Extract of Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm. with Reference to Air Pollution at Indore City

Abstract

Purpose: Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm is used as medicine. This is safe alternative source of drugs as well. To evaluate the scientific basis for this plant species, a comprehensive study have been made for the phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial activities of crude extracts of the stem bark along with physicochemical characters with reference to air pollution condition at different polluted areas at Indore City. Methods: The present study investigated preliminary phytochemical screening of stem bark by three different solvents petroleum ether extract, ethanolic extract and distilled water extract for three different polluted areas (Mixed Polluted Area (MPA) , Vehicular Polluted Area (VPA) and Industrial polluted Area (IPA)) and was compared by Low Polluted Area (LPA) at Indore City(M.P.) for 11 Secondary metabolites which are useful for development and growth of plants. Along with this antimicrobial activity was also studied for gram negative (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae) and gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) bacteria at all four pollution areas in two different extract (ethanolic and distilled water ) and zone of inhibition was measure in mm. Physicochemical characters was studied at all different areas. Results: Study revealed the presence of alkaloids, Carbohydrates and Tannin at all pollution areas in all three extracts in Eucalyptus tereticornis.. It was also observed that ethanolic bark extract of E. tereticornis was more effective in inhibiting at all the polluted areas including our reference area for Staphylococcus aureus the maximum zone of inhibition was 17mm at MPA. The results indicate that the ethanolic bark extracts shows more prominent results and might be exploited as natural drug for the treatment of several infectious diseases caused by these organisms.