Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity & Phytochemical Analysis of Cassia siamea

Abstract

Nature has been a source of medicinal agents for thousands of years and an impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources, many based on their use in traditional medicine. Various medicinal plants have been used for years in daily life to treat disease all over the world. Millions of rural households use medicinal plants in a self-help mode. Cassia siamea is an ornamental tree of the family Caesalpiniaceae having ethno-medicinal importance. Ethanolic, methanolic and aqueous extracts of leaves of Cassia siamea were investigated for its antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (2065), Bacillus subtilis (2063), Staphylococcus aureus (2602), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2036), Micrococcus luteus-(2103), Aspergillus niger (NCIM-920), Fusarium moniliform (NCIM-1099), Candida albicans (NCIM-3102), Aspergillus flavus (NCIM-540) and Alternaria alternata (NCIM-718) The ethanolic and methanolic extract showed effective inhibitory activity as compared to aqueous extract. Results of phytochemical investigations of leaves of C. siamea indicates the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, amino acids, terpenoids and steroids in all the three solvents. While glycosides were present in methanol and ethanol, and anthraquinones were present in ethanol and water.