PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF TABERNAEMONTANA DIVERICATA, LINN EXTRACTS

Abstract

Tabernaemontana divericata used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. The literature survey showed that this plant has not been studied yet for its pharmacognostical parameters and certain antimicrobial activity studies. We have taken up the said plant for our investigation. The pharmacognostical study includes macroscopy, histological characters, powder microscopic studies and physiochemical parameters of the plant were characterised. The methanolic and aqueous (cold and hot) extracts of Tabernaemontana divericata, Linn were subjected to qualitative chemical tests and antimicrobial studies. The presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, phytosterols, saponins, phenol compounds, gums and mucilages were found in methanolic and aqueous extracts of the plant. Tabernaemontana divericata found to have good antimicrobial activity.The maximum zone of inhibition was produced by hot and cold extracts against gram positive organism. The significant antibacterial activity was produced by hot extracts against Streptococcus viridians, Streptococcus pyrogens and Streptococcus agalactia. Antifungal activity was not reported by Tabernaemontana divericata.