Phytochemical contents, antimicrobial and antioxidative activities of Solanum sisymbriifolium.

ABSTRACT

The present study was aimed at screening the phytochemical contents, antimicrobial and antioxidative activities from the aerial parts of Solanum sisymbriifolium. S. sisymbriifolium is known to be traditionally used in various kinds of ailments including pain and inflammation, some of which may be due to infection by various microbes found in our environment. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids and saponins in this plant. Screening for the antimicrobial activity of tissue extracts by disc diffusion assay against test microorganisms revealed the presence of antimicrobial activity, maximum activity being found in the methanolic extracts. The activity was stable against drastic thermal and pH treatments. The antioxidative activity of its aerial tissue extracts was determined using DPPH-radical scavenging method. Antioxidant activities have been implicated as agents for fighting many other diseases such as cancer that result from oxidative damages arising out of synthesis of compounds via natural metabolic routes. The study suggests the use of Solanum sisymbriifolium species for further isolation and characterization of its bioactive compounds leading to the development of new antimicrobial drugs.