A STUDY ON PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION, GC-MS ANALYSIS AND ANTI-MICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF METHANOLIC LEAF EXTRACT OF ALSTONIA SCHOLARIS (L.) R. BR.

The present study was carried out to assess the various phytochemical composition, GC-MS analysis, and antimicrobial potential of methanolic leaf extract of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. by using different solvents. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, quinines, saponins, tannins, steroids and terpenoids. Susceptibility testing by Agar well diffusion assay showed significant antimicrobial activity with ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of leaves against bacterial strains such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruiginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and fungal strain Candida albicans. The methanolic leaf extract exhibited better antimicrobial activity than ethyl acetate extract. The UV-Vis, FTIR, and GC-MS have been employed to characterize the bioactive compounds present in methanolic leaf extract of Alstonia scholaris. The crude extract was scanned in the wavelength ranging from 200-900 nm by using Perkin Elmer Spectrophotometer, and the characteristic peaks were detected. The FTIR spectrum confirmed the presence of alcohol, alkanes, amides, alkyl aldehydes, halogen, and aromatic compounds. The results of the GC-MS analysis provide different peaks determining the presence of 9 phytochemical compounds with different therapeutic activities. The major phyto constituents were oxime-methoxy-phenyl, 2-methoxy 4-vinyl phenol, 2(4H)-Benzofuranone 5, 6, 7, 7a-tetrahydro-4, 4, 7a trimethyl, (-)-Loliolide, Neophytadiene, Hexahydrofarnesyl acetone, Phytol, 4, 8, 12, 16-Tetramethylheptadecan-4-olide, and Squalene.