Antioxidant, cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties of Eclipta alba ethanol extract

Abstract

This study was subjected to investigate antioxidant, cytotoxic and antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) properties of Eclipta alba ethanol extract. The antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of the extract were assessed by DPPH free radical scavenging method and brine shrimp lethality bioassay, respectively. Disc diffusion technique and food poisoning technique were used to determine the antibacterial and antifungal activity of the extract, respectively. DPPH free radical scavenging effect of extract was compared with standard antioxidant ascorbic acid. IC50 value was found 1.34μg/ml for extract and 1.03μg/ml for ascorbic acid. LC50 value of the extract in brine shrimp lethality bioassay was found 94.3μg/ml. Large zone of inhibition were observed in disc diffusion antibacterial screening against gram negative Salmonella typhi, Shigella sonnei, Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi, Pseudomonas sp (1) & Pseudomonas sp (II), and gram positive Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus megaterim & Staphylococcus aureus at the concentration of 1mg/disc. The extract concentration 250μg/disc showed no zone of inhibition to any bacterial strain but 500μg/disc showed a moderate zone of inhibition (8mm) against Salmonella typhi. In antifungal assay, the maximum 51.52% of anti-mycotic activity was observed against Aspergillus ochraceus. Fluconazole was used as standard antifungal agent. Extract was found nontoxic in acute toxicity test in mice.