Research Articles

2018  |  Vol: 4(6)  |  Issue: 6 (November-December)  |  https://doi.org/10.31024/ajpp.2018.4.6.14

Phytochemical evaluation and antibacterial activity of four Indian spices

Ravi Datta¹, Hari Om Saxena^2*, Arun Kakkar¹

¹Natural Product Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Govt. Science College (Autonomous), Jabalpur (M.P.) – 482001, India

²Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur (M.P.) – 482021, India

*Address for Correspondence Author

Dr. Hari Om Saxena,  

Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur (M.P.) – 482021, India

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present work is to evaluate four Indian spices viz. Cinnamomum verum, Curcuma longa, Piper nigrum and Syzygium aromaticum for phytochemicals and antibacterial activity. Material and Methods: The powdered spices were extracted in ethanol and these ethanolic extracts were evaluated for their phytochemicals using standard methods. The antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts was studied by agar well diffusion method. Results: The extracts of all four spices showed presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins and terpenoids in different quantities. These extracts exhibited positive results against clinically important gram positive bacteria i.e. Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus and gram negative bacteria i.e. Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the ethanolic extracts of tested spices possess therapeutically important phytochemicals and in-vitro antibacterial activity.

Keywords: Spices, phytochemicals, antibacterial activity, gram positive and gram negative bacteria