Title : Phytochemical screening and evaluation of antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the extracts of the leaves of Ricinus Communis (Castor Plant)
Abstract:
For 50 gram plant material, the percentage yields of the extracts were: methanol 4.5%, ethanol 4.0%, and petroleum ether 0.2%. It was observed that methanol and ethanol extracts contained the maximum concentrations of all the phytochemicals screened. The result was: %scavenging=98.24±0.140, 94.93±0.005, 91.99±0.167, 90.77±0.008 from concentrations:120, 100, 80, 60ppm respectively and %RP=80.33±0.702, 59.42±0.212, 51.45±0.730, 25.92±0.911 from concentrations: 100, 75, 50, 25ppm respectively. Inhibition at 25mg/mL; ethanol extract was more effective than methanol extract against gram positive bacteria. One gram negative bacteria (E.coli) were resistant towards all types of extracts. Petroleum ether extract has no inhibition zone towards these bacterias. The extracts were also effective against on mold and yeast fungal strains. Folin-Ciocalteu reagent (FCR) showed the total phenolic contents in terms of mg Gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of dry weight of samples to be 52.68±0.385. It is inferred from the present study that Ricinus communis leaf crude extract of methanol had a power to reduce radicals and delayed the growth of microorganisms such as bacterias and funguses. This antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of Ricinus communis may underlie its wide spread used in traditional medicine.
