PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS, ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF LEAF EXTRACTS OF MERREMIA EMARGINATA (BURM. F.)

Merremia emarginata is a creeping herb, rooting at nodes, and commonly used in folk medicine. The current study was undertaken with the aim of preliminary phytochemical analyses, evaluation of antimicrobial activity, and antioxidant activity by methanol and aqueous extracts of leaves of Merremia emarginata. The extracts were subjected to preliminary phytochemical analyses; Antibacterial activities against nine bacterial strains were done by using agar – well diffusion method and free radical DPPH antioxidant activity. Preliminary phytochemical analyses were done by using standard phytochemical methods that showed the presence of Carbohydrates, reducing sugars, phytosterols, fixed oils, saponins, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Based on the results of phytochemical analyses, methanol and aqueous extracts of the plant were chosen for antibacterial studies. Methanolic extract of leaves showed the highest antibacterial activity followed by the aqueous extract. The present study indicates that the leaves of Merremia emarginata possess antibacterial activity and found effective against eight bacterial cultures. Antioxidant activity of the DPPH assay showed that extracts exhibit the scavenging effect of various concentrations.