Abstract

PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF DIFFERENT SOLVENT EXTRACTS OF LEAF AND STEM OF EUPHORBIA AMPLIPHYLLA PAX (FAMILYEUPHORBIACEAE)

Mengistu Welde and Dr. Sureshkumar P. Nair*

ABSTRACT

Folk medicines play an important role in the rural sectors of developing countries. Many plants based drugs of modern medicine are derived from traditional medicines. Most phytochemicals are secondary metabolites and are nonessential nutrients and most of them are produced as defensive. The majority of these phytochemicals are potential therapeutic agents. The present study is planned to reveal the phytochemical content and antibacterial activity of the succulent tree, Euphorbia ampliphylla of the Family Euphorbiaceae. Phytochemical analysis of the bark and leaf extract shows that it contains alkaloids and flavonoids. Euphorbia ampliphylla demonstrates significant antibacterial activity against gram-positive cocci and gram-negative bacilli.

Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Euphorbia ampliphylla, phytochemicals, secondary metabolites, folk medicines.