Phytochemical Investigation and Antibacterial Evaluation of Roots of Kniphofia schimperiana

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been used throughout human history for treating various diseases. The genus Kniphofia (Asphodelaceae) one of the medicinal plants used to treat various diseases in Ethiopia. The genus comprises 71 species, commonly known as red hot pokers, is a rich source of monomeric and dimeric anthraquinones, anthrones, phenylanthraquinones and oxanthrones. The phytochemical screening test of CH2Cl2:CH3OH (1:1) and 100% CH3OH root extract of Kniphofia schimperiana revealed that the presence of glycosides, saponins, sterols, tannins, phenols and flavonoids and absence of alkaloids. Silica gel column chromatographic separation of CH2Cl2:CH3OH (1:1) and 100% CH3OH root extract of Kniphofia schimperiana of yielded three compounds of which one of them is a Knipholone derivative (21). Complete characterizations of isolated compounds were done with the help of spectroscopic techniques 1H NMR, 13C NMR and DEPT-135 and comparison with literature reports. Anti bacterial activities test of the crude extract and isolated compounds were done by the disk diffusion method compound 20 showed better activity than the other on S.aurouse with zone of inhibition of 11mm. of the four isolated compounds two of them (compound 21 and compound 7) were didn’t show any antibacterial activities against both gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains.