PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND EVALUATION OF PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF EULOPHIA NUDA LIND. TUBER EXTRACTS

Eulophia nuda Lind. belongs to family Orichidaceae and is a rare and endangered orchid. Present research work was carried out on tuber extracts of Eulophia nuda for the evaluation of antimicrobial activities and hepatoprotective. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed presence of phytochemical constituents like alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides (cardiac), tannins, saponins, carbohydrates in three tuber extracts prepared by using solvents (chloroform, acetone and ethanol). Antibacterial activity was carried out with Disc Diffusion method against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Acetone extract was more effective against Staphylococcus aureus with maximum zone of inhibition 18 mm compared to standard antibiotic Ampicillin with zone of inhibition 20 mm. Antifungal studies was carried out using well diffusion method against Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. Chloroform extract was more effective against Aspergillus niger having zone of inhibition 17 mm compared with standard antifungal Fluconazole (20mm). Acetone extract shown the zone of inhibition of 16 mm against Aspergillus flavus compared to standard Fluconazole (22mm). Hepatoprotective activity was carried out as per OECD guidelines 425 using Wistar albino rats. Effect of these extracts on CCl₄ induced hepatotoxic rats was studied by SGOT, SGPT and ALP parameters compared with standard LIV 52. From the research work, it was concluded that Eulophia nuda tuber extracts are active as antibacterial, antifungal and hepatoprotective which could be used for the development of some promising formulations, furthermore, structural elucidation of isolated components from the extracts of Eulophia nuda can be carried out using studies like IR and NMR.