BIOACTIVE PROFILING AND THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF ERIOCAPITELLA TOMENTOSA: A HUNT FOR NOVEL ANTIMICROBIAL LEADS

Ch. Sampath Kumar, Saritha Kodithala*, Ashok Kumar Uppuluru, Sajid Miya, Mohammad Mansoor, Bhuyyakaru Sandya

ABSTRACT

Objective: Antimicrobial activity refers to the ability of substances, such as a drug, chemical, or plant extract to
inhibit growth or destroy microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. The plant Eriocapitella
tomentosa Buch. -Ham. ex. DC., indigenous to the northeastern state of Meghalaya, is traditionally believed to
possess pharmacological properties for the treatment of microbial infections, inflammations, and cancer related
conditions. This study aims to evaluate the in- vitro antimicrobial potential and identify the active
phytoconstituents present in the leaves of E. tomentosa. Methods: The leaves were subjected to methanolic
extraction. The crude extracts were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes and Escherichia
coli for antimicrobial activity using agar well diffusion and UV spectrophotometer methods. Minimum inhibitory
concentrations (MICs) for active crude extracts were done using agar well diffusion technique. Results: It was
observed that the crude extracts showed highest activity against the selected bacterial strains with minimum
inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 60 μL. The activity indices and zones of inhibition were compared with
commercially used standard antibiotic azithromycin and Penicillin G and provided evidence of the methanolic
extract's antibacterial efficacy. The UV spectrophotometry method also showed significant inhibition zone at a
wavelength of 600nm against the bacterial strains. TLC with phytochemical study showed the presence of active
phytoconstituents like flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, triterpenoids & steroids. Conclusion: These
results suggest that E. tomentosa contains different phytoconstituents having medicinal properties and justify the
traditional use for the treatment of antimicrobial diseases. However, research on in-vivo methods along with
toxicity study is recommended to validate safety for society.

Keywords: E. tomentosa, thin layer chromatography, minimum inhibitory concentration, antimicrobial activity.