PHYTOCONSTITUENTS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF TERMINALIA CATAPPA LINN (TROPICAL ALMOND)

Abstract

Fresh leaves, mesocarp of fruits, seeds (nut) and bark of Terminalia catappa L. also known as Tropical almond were used for the research. Plant parts of T. catappa were separately air-dried and ground into fine powder. 60% (v/v) ethanol was used as extraction solvent. The following clinical bacterial isolates: Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Streptococus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, Micrococus luteus, Pseudomonas aeroginosa were used. The fungi isolates used were Aspergillus fumigatus, Tinea rubrum, Trichoderma phyton ,Candida albicans . Purified bacterial isolates were observed for cultural and morphological characteristics. Fungi were characterized based on their cultural and morphological characteristics. From the preliminary sensitivity tests and the concentration at which the compounds were active the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) range was determined. The proximate analysis and the phytochemical screening of plant parts were carried out according to the standard procedures. The seed did not show any antimicrobial property against all the organisms used. In general the green leaves, showed highest sensitivity against test organisms. None of the extracts showed activity against any of the fungi. Plant alkaloids were found only in the bark. Saponin and tannins was present in all the plant parts tested. The phytochemical screening and the proximate analysis showed that the presence of the above components varied according to the plant extracts