CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY STUDY OF ROOT EXTRACTS OF JUSTICIA SCHIMPERIANA

Abstract

The present study was carried out on the chemical composition, phytochemical constituents test and antimicrobial activities on the root extracts of Justicia schimperiana plant using Soxhlet extraction method. The powdered root of the plant was sequentially extracted with organic solvents: petroleum ether, methanol: chloroform (1:1) mixture and methanol, and gave the percentage yields of 2.2٪, 24.48٪ & 20٪ respectively by using Soxhlet apparatus. Phytochemical constituent tests of Justicia schimperiana root extracts showed the presence of saponins, tannins, flavonoids, phenols and steroids with positive results. However, the test for glycosides gave negative result in all extracts. In the GC-MS analysis, 16 chemical components were identified in the Petroleum ether oil extract of roots of Justicia schimperiana plant. The result revealed the following major compounds in the extract: Methyl tetradecanoate ﴾RT:16.296﴿, Methyl 12- methyl tridecanoate ﴾RT:17.157﴿, Methyl pentadecanoate ﴾RT:17.520﴿, Methyl palmitoleate ﴾RT:18.252﴿, Methyl 9-hexadecanoate ﴾RT:18.434﴿, Methyl hexadec-7-enoate ﴾RT:18.625﴿, Methyl hexadecanoate ﴾RT:18.929﴿, Methyl 13-methyl pentadecanoate ﴾RT:18.562﴿, Methyl heptadecanoate ﴾RT:20.474﴿, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid ﴾RT:21.695﴿, Methyl linoleate ﴾RT:21.688﴿, Methyl elaidate ﴾RT:21.822), Methyl oleate ﴾RT:21.890﴿, Methyl 11-Octadecenoate ﴾RT: 21.902﴿, Methyl 8- Octadecenoate ﴾RT:21.902﴿, Methyl Octadecenoate ﴾RT:22.254﴿ were identified along with other minor components. All the three crude root extracts were testedagainst two gram positive ﴾Staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pyogenes﴿, two gram negative ﴾Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi﴿ bacteria and two fungus ﴾Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus﴿ through disc diffusion assay. All extracts showed growth inhibition against all the organisms tested. Finally, the result obtained in present study indicated that root extracts of the plant as a rich source of phytochemical constituents, has significant antimicrobial activity, and the GC-MS analysis provides evidence that the extract of the plant contains various chemical compounds.