Phytochemical Investigation And Antibacterial Activities Of Stem Barks Of Embelia Schimperi.

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been used over the years for treating a variety of diseases caused by protozoan, bacteria, fungi, viruses and helminthes. Embelia schemperi is one of these medicinal plants used traditionally for treatment of intestinal tape worm, dysmenorrheal, bacterial and fungal infections. Phytochemical screening test of the dichloromethane/methanol (1:1) and methanol extracts revealed the presence of phenols, alkaloids, tannins, and flavonoids where as terpenoids, glycoside and phytosterols were absent. Silical gel column chromatographic separation of the extract afforded two compounds (3,5,7,3’,4’ pentahydroxy flavan and 3,5,7,4’ tetrahydroxy flavan). The structures were determined as using spectroscopic techniques (UV-Vis, IR, 1D and 2D NMR) and compared with reported data from literature. The crude extracts and isolated pure compounds were tested for their antibacterial activity by Agar-disc diffusion methods. Compound 1 exhibited 15mm zones of inhibition, against S. aureus which was comparable to that of gentamicin (15mm). The present study supports the traditional medicinal use of the plant for the treatment of infectious diseases.