Pharmaceutical Constituents of Stem of Bryophyllum Pinnatum

Abstract

Bryophyllum pinnatum laeves extract is used by the traditional medicinal practitioners in the treatment of many diseases. In this research, effect of the stem extract of B.pinnatum is investigated on many disease-causing micro-organisms to find out its anti-microbial efficacy. Phytochemical screening of Bryophylum pinnatum stem  showed the presence of the   following; flavonoids (0.53); alkaloids (0.29), tannin(0.64); saponins(1.05); phenol(0.32); phytate (0.64) and HCN(14.07). The methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the stem were found to inhibit the four Gram +ve bacteria, four Gram –ve bacteria and four fungi. The four Gram+ve bacteria are Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus pyogenes and Listeria monocytogen. The four Gram –ve bacteria are Echerichia coli, Pseudomonas auregenosa, Klebsiella and Salmonella typhi. The four test fungi are Pennicillum, A. niger, Fusarium and Candida. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the stem on four Gram +ve bacteria are:S. aureus (200,200,200mg/ml); B. subtilis (150,100,200mg/ml); S. pyogenes (150,200,250 mg/ml);L. monocytogen (200,200,250mg/ml). The MIC of methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the stem on four Gram –ve bacteria are E. coli (Nil,200,250mg/ml);P.auregenosa(200,200,250mg/ml); Klebsiella (200,150,250mg/ml); S. typhi (250,250,250mg/ml). The MIC of methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the stem on four test fungi are Pennicillum (250,250 200mg/ml); A. niger (250,200,250mg/ml); Fusarium (200,250,Nil mg/ml) and Candida (200,150,200mg/ml) .  The maximum bacteria concentration (MBC) for Gram +ve bacteria in methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts are: S. aureus (650,700,700mg/ml); B. subtilis (600,550,750mg/ml); S. pyogenes (600,750,800mg/ml) and L. monocytogen (600,750,750mg/ml). MBC for Gram -ve bacteria in methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts are: E. coli (700,500,650mg/ml); P. auregenosa(250,200,350mg/ml); Klebsiella (150,200,300mg/ml); S. typhi (750,600,800mg/ml) .MFC for the four test fungi are Pennicillum (800,600,850mg/ml); A. niger (600,500,700mg/ml); Fusarium (700,600,750mg/ml) and Candida(600,450,500mg/ml). Elemental analysis shows that stem of B. pinnatum contains an appreciable quantity of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium.

Keywords: Stem of B. pinnatum, crude extracts, phytochemical analysis, elemental analysis, anti-microbial activity, MIC and MBC.