K. PRABHAKARA RAO, CHIMATA GANGADHARA RAO, SR. PREMAKUMARI, Y. T. RAJESH BABU* AND S. B. PADAL
Department of Botany, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530 003 (Andhra Pradesh), India *(e-mail: baburajesh0999@gmail.com; Mobile: 63008 84860, 90527 96457)
(Received: June 15, 2024; Accepted: July 7, 2024)
ABSTRACT
Secondary metabolites like phenolic compounds, flavonoids and tannins function as antioxidant, anti-microbial and anti-carcinogenic agents. In this study, the various solvent extracts of Psydrax dicoccos were characterized by their phytochemical profiles and anti-microbial and antioxidant properties. Antimicrobial activity by the agar well diffusion method against four pathogens (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fluorescence and Streptococcus mutans) as well as antioxidant activities were evaluated by DPPH scavenging assay. GCMS analysis was used to determine the chemical composition of the extracted materials. The methanol extract of P. dicoccos was the most effective, with the lowest IC50 value of 47.41±1.75 μg/ml, indicating strong antioxidant activity. The petroleum ether extract showed moderate activity with an IC50 of 69.98±1.64 μg/ml, while the aqueous extract had better activity with an IC50 of 61.20±1.58 μg/ml. Methanol extracts exhibited strong antimicrobial activities; the highest zone of inhibition (17.3±0.57 mm) reported against S. mutans, while petroleum ether extracts had no activity except against S. mutans. The GCMS analysis revealed 10 components from methanolic extract P. dicoccos. The most notable with high area percentages were Scopoletin (70.71%), Quinic acid (11.90%) and 1,4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester (8.33%). The results suggest that methanol extract of the stem bark of P. dicoccos is a good source of physiologically active substances with antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal effects for the treatment of diseases.
Key words: Phytochemicals, DPPH assay, GCMS analysis, antioxidant activities