PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND IN VITRO BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF AQUEOUS AND METHANOLIC EXTRACT OF BACOPA MONNIERI

Objective: The present study was designed to identify the phytocompounds, to compare the antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous and methanolic extract of Bacopa monnieri.Methods: Antioxidant activity was determined by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), Super oxide dismutase (SOD), Reduced glutathione (GSH), Catalase assays. Anti-inflammatory activity was measured with inhibition of albumin denaturation and trypsin inhibitory assay. Finally, extracts were tested against various pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains by broth dilution assay and disc diffusion assay respectively.Results: Results showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, quinines and glycosides etc while steroids and carboxylic acid were absent. The extracts demonstrated free radical-scavenging activity quite comparable with standard ascorbic acid. Methanolic extract exerted comparative higher antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity than aqueous extract. Both extracts were most effective against Bacillus subtilis and lowest inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus.Conclusion: The results obtained clearly indicated a promising potential of B. monnieri for serving as a strong ROS scavenger, might be used as anti-arthritic and strong natural antibiotic agent for effective treatment of various oxidative stressed disorders (cancer, cardiovascular diseases), inflammatory disorders (rheumatoid arthritis) and various bacterial infections