Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Root Extract of Aristolochia bracteata Retz.

The antimicrobial activity of different extracts from roots of Aristolochia bracteata retz was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Salmonella typhimurium which are pathogenic bacteria that cause gastrointestinal disorders. The root of A. bracteata retz was extracted with various solvents (petroleum ether, hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and water). The extracts were subjected to microbiological tests. Methanol was found to show more activity than other extracts. So the methanol extract was subjected for isolation. The isolated compound was confirmed by comparing with the standard aristolochic acid I. By using the same extract, the antioxidant activity was also tested by DPPH and Nitric oxide (NO) methods against free radicals which were present. More inhibition of the free radicals was observed in the DPPH method than NO method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]