US EPA

8317408 

Journal Article 

Preliminary phytochemistry and antimicrobial studies of an endangered madicinal herb Exacum Bicolor Roxb 

Paulsamy, S; Jeeshna, MV 

2011 

0 

Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences
ISSN: 0975-8585 

2 

4 

447-457 

English 

Exacum bicolor, a traditional medicinal herb distributed in northern Kerala, India with four different leaf shape variants such as linear-lanceolate, ovate-elliptic, oblanceolate and ovate have been of keen interest in phytochemical composition and antimicrobial research as it is an important source of secondary metabolites, notably flavonoid derivatives. Study revealed that ovate-elliptic leaf variant is a better potential source of phytochemical compounds than the other variants. The analysis by TLC reports the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, steroids and phenolics in this species. Antimicrobial study of the plant extracts by using the alcoholic solvents viz., petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone and methanol against ten bacteria and ten fungi showed better inhibitory activity of the species. Salmonella paratyhi-A and Cladosporium sp. were determined to be the most sensitive bacterium and fungus respectively to the methanol extract of E.bicolor. The antimicrobial activity further confirms the traditional therapeutic usage of E. bicolor in northern Kerala. 

Antimicrobial activity; Exacum bicolor; Leaf shape variants; Preliminary phytochemistry