Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: Antibacterial and antioxidative activity of methanol, chloroform and diethyl ether extracts of the leaves of Daphniphyllum himalense (Benth.) Muell. Arg. was examined. All the extracts showed antibacterial activity against the test microorganisms (Pseudomonas mallei MTCC 7300, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 424, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis). The chloroform extract showed better antibacterial activity against all the test bacterial strains except E. coli as compared to methanol and diethyl ether extract. However, both chloroform and methanol extract exhibited satisfactory antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, which are known to be pathogenic to human. In vitro antioxidant activity of all the extracts of leaves of D. himalense was determined by DPPH free radical scavenging activity assay, reducing power assay, H2O2 scavenging activity and total phenol content. Among all the three extracts, diethyl ether showed highest DPPH scavenging power and reducing power activity. The methanolic extract exhibited higher phenolic content and as a result an enhanced H2O2 scavenging activity, followed by the chloroform extract.

Key words: Daphniphyllum himalense, antibacterial, antioxidative, DPPH free radical scavenging assay, reducing power assay