ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SOLVENT EXTRACTS OF MEDICINAL PLANT: FAGONIA MOLLIS DELILE

Abstract

The present study was aimed to evaluation of the medicinal uses of Fagonia mollis by studying some active constituents, antioxidants and antimicrobial activities. Fagonia mollis Delile was collected from different sites from Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The phytochemical analysis of the aerial parts of F. mollis indicated that the plant is rich in secondary compounds. F. mollis exhibited the highest content of tannins and saponins (19.9±1.68 and 16.8±1.32, mg/g D.W., respectively), followed by phenolics (11.6±0.72 mg/g D.W.), flavonoids (8.6±0.82 mg/g D.W.) and then alkaloids (5.6±0.64 mg/g D.W.). In the DPPH test system, the crud extract of F. mollis, with an IC₅₀ value of 1.51 mg ml^?1, but higher than that of the positive control catechol (0.37 mg ml^?1). In the present study the petroleum ether and methylene chloride extracts of F. mollis inhibit all pathogenic bacteria with different rates. Ethyl acetate extract has no effect on both Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia, while the acetone inhibited all the bacteria except Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Methyl alcohol extract of plant on tested bacteria proved a broad spectrum antimicrobial potential. On the other hand, petroleum ether extract inhibited the growth of Candidia albicans and Mucor spp (8 and 9.3 mm, respectively), but has no effect on the Aspergillus fumigatus and A. niger. The methylene chloride, Ethyl acetate and methyl alcohol extracts had no antifungal activities against all the pathogenic fungi. Acetone extract inhibited the growth of A. fumigatus (10.2mm) but has no effect on the others. The above results revealed that F. mollis have an excellent anti-bacterial activity and can be used for disease therapy.