Phytocontent screening of mucuna seeds and exploit in opposition to pathogenic microbes

Abstract

Plants and plant-based medicaments are the basis of many of the modern pharmaceuticals which we use today for our diverse ailments. The aim of the study was to find out the bio active chemical constituents and to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract and methanolic extract of herbal plant Mucuna pruriens and Mucuna bracteata. A qualitative phytocontent analysis was performed for the detection of alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, tannins, reducing sugar etc. All the plant extracts were subjected to individual microbiological tests to ascertain their antimicrobial activity against four pathogenic microorganisms: Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Shigella dysenteriae and Bacillus subtilis. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was determined by measuring the diameter of zone of inhibition (ZI) exhibited by the extracts. The extract of Mucuna pruriens was more effective against Escherichia coli (ZI = 2.8 cm) and less effective Bacillus subtilis (ZI= 2.1 cm). The extract of Mucuna bracteata was more effective against E. coli (ZI= 2.4 cm) and less against Salmonella typhi (ZI= 1.8 cm)