PHYTOCHEMICAL, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF VARIOUS SOLVENT EXTRACTS FROM FRUITS OF MORUS INDICA.

*Jane Sarah. J

ABSTRACT

In this study, fruits of an indigenous varieties of Mulberry namely Morus indica was investigated for their phytochemical content, antioxidant and antibacterial potential. The antioxidant activities were carried out on three different solvent extracts of fruits of M.indica by free radical scavenging assay, ABTS radical cation scavenging assay, Hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, Fe3+ reducing power assay and phosphomolybdenum reduction assay methods. It was found that the methonolic extract had the highest antioxidant activity. Further,qualitative and quantitative analysis of phytochemicals found that the phenolic content (8.8 μg/GAE) was comparitively lower whereas the flavanoid and reducing sugar content (33.77 μg/QE and1.6317 μg/ml of glucose) was higher than the other sps. of Morus. The antibacterial activity was carried out by well diffusion method and the methanolic extract was found to be effective against six different bacterial strains-Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Echerichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis.

Keywords: Morus indica, antioxidant, radical scavenging, phytochemical, antibacterial activity.