Abstract:

The therapeutic properties of plants, including antioxidant and antibacterial activity, have been investigated. In the present study the petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous extracts of Diospyros ebenum Roxb. were evaluated for DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl) free radical scavenging (antioxidant) activity and antibacterial activity. Antibacterial activity was determined against Bacillus subtilis ATCC6633, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC29737, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC23564, and Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC13048 using the agar well diffusion method. Total phenolic and flavonoid content of these extracts was determined as the gallic acid and quercetin equivalent, respectively. Results show that the methanol extract was active against all 5 bacterial strains, whereas the aqueous extract was active against none. The methanol extract had the highest total phenolic content and DPPH free radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 20 mg/ml). The antioxidant and antibacterial potential of the methanol extract of D. ebenum observed in the present study indicates that most active constituents of this plant may be phenolics.

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