Anti-oxidant potential, antimicrobial activities and phytochemical screening, in three species of cestrum

The aim of the study was to investigate the phytochemical, the antimicrobial and the antioxidant activity of three plant species, namely Cestrum elegans, C. fasicilatum, C.parqui. The Phytochemicals were screened qualitatively and quantitatively. The phytochemicals such as anthraquinones, terpenoids, flavonoids alkaloids were present in all the three species, whereas each species showed absence of saponins. Phenol was found in minute quantities. Six solvents were used to extract the bioactive compounds from the leaves of these plant species, namely ethanol, methanol, butanol, propanol, acetone, and petroleum ether for antibacterial activities and ethanol, methanol and butanol alone for antifungal activities by agar diffusion method. Maximum zones of inhibition was seen in propanol and acetone extracts and hence this extract can be used for antibacterial activity. Antifungal activity was seen mostly in Trichoderma and Aspergillus. Antioxidant activity was done by DPPH and FRAP assay and yielded good results.