In vitro total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of selected medicinal plants using different solvent systems

Abstract

AbstractRecently, an interest has surged in utilizing indigenous medicinal plants to treat infectious illnesses and extract bioactive substances, highlighting the need to analyze medicinal plants for phytochemicals and bioactivities. The present study was aimed to evaluate the impact of different solvent systems (aqueous, ethanol, and methanol) used for extraction on total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity of three medicinal plants of Azad Kashmir (Achillea millefolium,Bergenia ciliata,andAloe vera). High phenolic content was found in methanol extracts ofB. ciliata(27.48 ± 0.58 mg GAE/g dry weight),A. vera(25.61 ± 0.33 mg GAE/g dry weight), andA. millefolium(24.25 ± 0.67 mg GAE/g dry weight). High flavonoid content was obtained in the ethanol extract ofA. millefolium(27.13 ± 0.64 mg QE/g dry weight), methanol extract ofB. ciliata(17.44 ± 0.44 ± 0.44 mg QE/g dry weight), and the methanol extract ofA. vera(14.68 ± 0.67 mg QE/g dry weight). Strong 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH) was obtained with a methanol extract ofB. ciliata(IC50 = 60.27 ± 0.20 µg/mL). With a zone of inhibition and a minimum inhibitory concentration ranging from 10.00 ± 0.66 to 24.67 ± 1.21 mm and 78 to 625 µg/mL, respectively, all of the studied plants demonstrated notable antibacterial activity againstStaphylococcus aureusandEscherichia coli.A. verashowed greater antibacterial activity as compared to other plants under study while methanolic extract showed greater antibacterial activity than ethanolic and aqueous extract. The findings of this research support the use of these medicinal plants to treat a variety of diseases.