Evaluation of Bioactive Constituents and Antimicrobial Activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum Against Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens (Antimicrobial Activity of Phytochemicals Associated with Bryophyllum pinnatum)

Abstract

The existing study was aimed at evaluating secondary metabolites present in Bryophyllum. pinnatum and its antimicrobial activity. The methanolic, ethanolic and chloroform extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening, gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and antimicrobial investigation. Gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS) study of the whole plant was performed using a Gas Chromatography /Mass Spectrophotometry Quadra pole Shimadzu model and interpretation was done on the mass spectrum was completed by means of the record of the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) and the FTIR spectrum was noted in a spectrophotometer. Phytochemical screening for plant extracts showed the occurrence of numerous secondary metabolites like alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, and saponins. Agar well diffusion assay was performed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of methanol, ethanol and chloroform fractions of Bryophyllum pinnatum against fungi and bacteria. Methanol extracts of B. pinnatum were found to show the highest inhibition zone against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans. Plant extracts were compared with standard drugs, where they showed comparable inhibitory activity. Major compounds identified in GC/MS were dodecanedioic acid bis ester, beta carotene, caryophyllene, vitamin A aldehyde, Kauren-18-ol, acetate, phytol, squalene, 3 carene, alpha-phellandrene and hexadecenoic acid. The present study indicates that phytochemicals present in methanolic, ethanolic and chloroform extract revealed that B. pinnatum is appropriate for use in different fields, viz., therapeutic and pharmaceuticals and are of great value in medicinal practice for the treatment of several human ailments. S. aureus and E. coli were selected since these are the two most common bacterial pathogens and C. albicans is the common fungi to cause fungal infections, hence were considered for the study.