QUALITATIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF PHYTOCHEMICALS AND IN VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL EVALUATION OF LEAF EXTRACT OF COUROUPITA GUIANENSIS AUBL. - A THREATENED MEDICINAL TREE

Objective: Screening of phytochemicals present in aqueous extract and evaluation of the antibacterial and antifungal activities from different organic extracts of leaf of C. guianensis Aubl.Methods: Antimicrobial activity of different extracts was evaluated by using the disc diffusion assay. Methanolic, ethanolic and chloroform extracts of leaf were tested against fungus and representatives of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.Results: Presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phlobatannins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids was observed in aqueous extract of leaf. Chloroform extract showed better activity against Gram-positive bacteria in comparison to Gram-negative bacteria. Methanolic extract was more effective on Gram negative bacteria. Leaf extract was also effective against Candida species. Minimum inhibitory concentration was 25 mg/ml for ethanolic, 50 mg/ml for methanolic and 100 mg/ml for chloroform extracts against S. aureus. Conclusion: Present study of C. guianensis seems to be promising for pharmaceutical industries for making an antimicrobial drug or cream especially against S. aureus and provides details of pharmacological investigation, identification, isolation and characterization of novel bioactive compounds