Abstract

MINERAL CONTENT, ANTIMICROBIAL AND RADICAL SCAVENGING POTENTIAL OF CAESALPINIA MIMOSOIDES LAMK. (CAESALPINIACEAE)

Manasa M, Vivek M.N, Yashoda Kambar, Ramesh Kumar K.A, Prashith Kekuda T.R

Abstract

The plant Caesalpinia mimosoides Lamk. (family Fabaceae; subfamily Caesalpiniaceae) is a small spiny tropical tree or climbing shrub distributed in several countries such as China, India, Myanmar and Thailand. The present study aimed at estimating the content of major and minor elements and determining antimicrobial and radical scavenging activity of methanol extract of various parts viz., root, fruit, leaf and flower of C. mimosoides. The composition of mineral elements was estimated by ICP-OES technique after digestion with nitric acid in microwave digester. Overall, calcium and potassium were found in high quantity among major elements. The content of iron and nickel was high and least among minor elements estimated. Antibacterial activity of extracts was tested against five drug resistant urinary tract pathogens by Agar well diffusion assay. Among bacteria, Gram positive bacteria showed high susceptibility than Gram negative bacteria to extracts. Among extracts, fruit and leaf extracts were able to inhibit bacteria to high extent. Antifungal activity was tested against five fungi by Poisoned food technique. Among extracts, root and fruit extracts displayed marked inhibition of test fungi when compared to leaf and flower extracts. Radical scavenging potential of extracts was determined by DPPH radical scavenging assay. Among extracts, fruit extract scavenged radicals more efficiently followed by leaf, flower and root extract. Preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of steroids, flavonoids, glycosides and tannins in all extracts. The observed bioactivities could be ascribed to thepresence of phytochemicals in extracts. C. mimosoides can be utilized as a source of important mineral elements. The plant can be a potential candidate for developing agents with activity against uropathogens and free radical induced oxidative damage. The plant can also be used to control phytopathogenic fungi.

Keywords: Caesalpinia mimosoides, Drug resistance, Agar well diffusion, Poisoned food technique, DPPH.