Phytochemical Screening and Antibacterial Activity of Hibiscus rosa - sinensis Leaf Extracts

Abstract

Plants have been known to be a reservoir of secondary metabolites which are being exploited as source of bioactive substance for various pharmacological purposes. In the present study, fresh leaf extracts of hibiscus were prepared using ethanol, methanol and distilled water. The extracts were assessed for the presence of various classes of phytochemicals by subjecting to different tests and total phenolic content of each extract was carried out using FCR method. Results revealed that all the extracts of hibiscus contained alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins. Saponins and terpenoids were absent in all the leaf extracts of hibiscus. Phenolic concentration of hibiscus was high in ethanol (425.437mg/g) than methanol and distilled water extracts. Bioassay results revealed that crude ethanol extract of hibiscus leaves exhibited very good antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli compared to 10% and 5% extract concentrations. Further, the fabric samples treated with 10% extract exhibited antibacterial activity only against Staphylococcus aureus. However, antibacterial activity was absent in the samples treated with 5% hibiscus leaf extract. Thus, the presence of bioactive photochemicals could lend the antibacterial potency to the Hibiscus leaves and therefore, could be utilized not only for their high nutritional values but also as a medical plant.