Preliminary Screening of Phytoconstituents of various extracts of Citrus macroptera and its Antimicrobial impact

Abstract

The prevalence of antibiotic resistance has necessitated the identification of effective drug candidates derived from natural sources and plants. Citrus macropterais an endangered species belonging to the family Rutaceae. The current study focuses on the preliminary screening of the extracts from various parts of C. macroptera and antimicrobial activity assessment against two bacterial strains (Pseudomonas geniculate and Lysinbacillus fusiformis) and two fungal strains (Fusarium oxysporum and Paecilomyceslilacinus). The phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides, terpenoids etc. were present in varying solvent extracts. The ethanolic and methanolic leaf extracts of C.macroptera showed maximum inhibition against Lysinibacillus fusiformis with inhibition percentages (68.75% and 43.75%) respectively and no inhibition was recorded in C. macroptera aqueous leaf extract.The antifungal activity of the C. macroptera extracts was found maximum in the ex vitro methanolic leaf extract followed by albedo methanolic extract and in vitro ethanolic leaf extract whereas the least activity was recorded in the aqueous leaf extract. The extracts could not develop effective inhibition against Pseudomonas geniculate and Paecilomyces lilacinus. It can be concluded that extracts from C.macroptera have antimicrobial effects against some pathogens implying that they may have prospective applications in the pharmaceutical industry.