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8326440 
Journal Article 
Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of the stem of mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell. Arg. Var. philippensis (Euphorbiaceae) 
Velanganni, J; Kadamban, D; Tangavelou, AC 
2011 
1 
International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
ISSN: 2656-0097
EISSN: 0975-1491 
3 
SUPPL. 2 
160-163 
English 
An ethnomedicinal plant, Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell. Arg., var. philippensis was analyzed for chemical composition and antimicrobial activity. Preliminary phytochemical screening of various extracts of the stem revealed the presence of various classes of compounds such as amino acids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, gum, oil & resins, proteins, phenolic groups, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed the presence of ten compounds in ethanol extract. Bioassay of antimicrobial activity of hexane, chloroform and ethanol leaf extract showed significant activity against the human pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae causing brain abscesses, pneumonia and septic arthritis, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa causing urinary tract infections and septicaemia, Salmonella typhi causing typhoid fever, Vibrio species causing diarrheal infections and the fungus Candida albicans. The antimicrobial activity of the hexane, chloroform and ethanolic stem extract showed concentration-dependent activity against all the tested bacteria with the zone of inhibition ranged from 12-26mm at various concentrations. But only the ethanol extract showed antimicrobial activity against the fungi A. flavus and C. albicans with the zone of inhibition ranged from 16-22mm at various concentrations. 
Antimicrobial activity; Drug development; Ethnomedicine; Human pathogens; Mallotus philippensis var. philippensis; Phytochemistry