Abstract

SCREENING OF PHYTOCHEMICALS, ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF ELEPHANTOPUS SCABER LEAVES

Abarna N., Stephy Verghese and Jasmine R.*

Abstract

Elephantopus scaber is native to India and is commonly used in a broad variety of medicinal applications. Elephantopus scaber Linn. (Asteraceae) is a scabrescent aromatic herb distributed in the moist deciduous forests of the central Western Ghats. Though the plant has been extensively used in different systems of medicine for the treatment of various types of diseases, yet, there are few reports in the literature of studies on its chemical composition and biological properties. In this study, the antioxidant and anti-bacterial activities of the plant were evaluated and the phytochemical analysis was performed. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was measured using DPPH method and antibacterial activity by disc diffusion assay. Our findings suggest that E.scaber leaves possess potential antioxidant and anti-bacterial activity, which could be considered as drug candidate against oxidative stress and bacterial infection related pathological processes in medicinal chemistry studies.

Keywords: Elephantopus scaber, antioxidant, antibacterial.