ABSTRACT
Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth. is a large evergreen and well known tree of Sikkim Himalayan region. The bark of this plant is traditionally used as antipyretic, antiseptic, anthelmintic, wound healing agent. In the present study an attempt has taken to investigate for potential antibacterial activity by taking different extracts of fruits of Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth. against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 8530 and Bacillus liherfernis 10341) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli HD10; Salmonella paratyphi A2 and Vibrio cholera 64). Antibacterial activity of Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth. fruit extracts (benzene, acetone and aqueous) were assayed by the disc diffusion method. Among all the extracts, acetone extract was found most active against Escherichia coli HD10 and Bacillus liherfernis 10341 but this extract have no effect in case of Vibrio cholera 64. The MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations) of the extract was found 100 μg/ml for Escherichia coli HD10 and 150 μg/ml for Bacillus liherfernis 10341. The study promises an interesting future for designing a potentially active antibacterial agent from Schima wallichii (DC.) Korth. fruit.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate Schima wallichii (S. wallichii) Choisy (Ternstroemiaceae) which is a well known plant of Sikkim in the Himalayan region, India. Methods: Therefore three major flavonoid enriched fractions (FPet.Ether, FChloroform and FEthylacetate) were isolated by petroleum ether chloroform and ethyl acetate successively. The reactive nitrogen species scavenging activity of the flavonoid fractions was established using biochemical assay to measure scavenging of 2, 2 diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO) and peroxinitrite. Results: FEthylacetate showed maximum scavenging activity: their IC50 being (7.33 ± 3.32), (7.11 ± 2.21), and (6.67 ± 2.23)μg/mL in DPPH, NO, peroxinitrite radical respectively. Presence of (57.32 ± 2.31) and (163.4 ±2.22) μg of flavonoids and phenolic compound in 1 mg of extract is assumed to be responsible for free radical scavenging activity. Conclusion: Taken together S. wallichii has potent free radical scavenging property indicating its importance in food supplement as a rich source of active flavonoid and phenolic compounds in ethyl acetate fraction which is responsible for its free radical scavenging as well as antioxidant activity.