Antimicrobial Potential and GC-MS Analysis of Ethanolic Root Extract of Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre
SUGANYA DEVI, S
Department of Seed Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
JAYAPRAKASH, S. P
Sethu Bhaskara Agricultural College and Research Foundation, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India.
MAHESHWARI P *
Sri Venkateswaraa University, Ettayapuram, Thoothukudi (District), Tamil Nadu, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Medicinal and aromatic plants and their extracts are rich in antibacterial compounds, could be an alternate way to combat bacterial diseases. In recent years, interest in the study of phytochemical constituents from plants and their activity has increased. The present study was initiated to focus on the phytochemical analysis and the antimicrobial activities of the extracts of P. pinnata and to identify the presence of chemical constituents by GC-MS.
The root extracts from Pongamia pinnata extracted by petroleum ether, chloroform and ethanol solvents were subjected to antimicrobial studies. Fungal and bacterial cultures were used for antimicrobial activity, and they were screened through the agar well diffusion method. Three of the gram-positive bacterial cultures viz., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus thuringiensis and Agrobacterium tumefaciens; two gram-negative bacterial cultures, Eschericia coli and Vibrio cholerae; one fungal culture, Fusarium oxysporum were selected for antimicrobial activity. Identification of phyto-components and Interpretation of mass-spectrum GC-MS was conducted using the database of National Institute Standard and Technology (NIST).
Among the fungal and bacterial cultures, the ethanolic extract of P. pinnata root showed maximum growth inhibition against Bacillus thuringiensis and Fusarium oxysporum. The zones of inhibition obtained for B. thuringiensis and F. oxysporum were 16 mm and 20 mm, respectively. The effective inhibition percentage for the ethanolic extract was found to be 7.5% against B. thuringiensis and 10% for F. oxysporum. Among twelve bioactive components present in this ethanolic extract, two components, viz., 4 - Hydroxy - N - methylpiperidine and 4 – methyl - 6 - phenyl amino - 2H - Furol [2, 3 - H] Chrom - 2 - one, showed 40.17 and 17.71 peak area percentage, respectively, when studied by GC-MS. The present study indicates the potential use of P. pinnata in the treatment of various pathogenic diseases. In future, the plant can be used to isolate bioactive natural products that may serve as leads for the drug formulation and the development of new pharmaceuticals that address hither to unmet therapeutic needs.
Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, GC-MS, Pongamia pinnata, medicinal plants