Phytochemical Investigation and Antimicrobial Potential of Medicinal Plant Nepeta distans Royle ex Benth

Abstract

Herbal medicines or natural products and plant extract may exhibit promising alternatives or supplements for chemotherapy and antibiotic therapy. The aim of the study is to evaluate the therapeutic value and phytoconstituents of the whole plant, Nepeta distans. The methanol extract contains four known compounds, namely, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, β-sitosterol, and stigmasterol. The structures of these compounds were confirmed with the help of NMR and mass spectrometry and by comparison with the available literature of these known compounds. The phytochemical analysis test confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, fats, proteins, and phytosterols. The antimicrobial activities were carried out by the agar well diffusion method. Both methanol extract and chloroform fraction showed significant antimicrobial activities.