Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF SALVADORA PERSICA

T. Mohammad Munawar*and D. Muralidhara Rao

Abstract

Much effort has been focused on examining the antioxidant and inhibitory effect of Salvadora persica (miswak) on oral microorganisms, but information related antioxidant and antibacterial activity against other human pathogens, particularly multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates, is very rare. The main objective of this study was to evaluate antibacterial and antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts of leaves and stem of Salvadora persica. Antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts was also evaluated and MIC values were calculated by broth dilution method. Extracts prevented the growth of gram positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and gram negative bacteria such as E.coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the MIC values of ethanolic extract of the stems were higher than those of the leaves extract. Antioxidant activity was assayed by the 2,2-Diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and ferric reducing power (FRAP). In all the assays, leaves extract exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than that of stem extract. The present results showed antibacterial and antioxidant activity of the extracts was found to be positively associated with the total phenolic and flavonoid content of the extracts.

Keywords: Antibacterial Activity, Antioxidant Activity, Salvadora Persica, 2, 2-iphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Power (FRAP).