Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of leaves of Senna siamea

Abstract

Numerous medicinal plants have long been used in traditional medicine to treat a range of illnesses. The phytochemical components of medicinal plants and their biological properties, such as their antibacterial properties, have recently piqued the interest of numerous researchers.The present study was conducted to check the phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity of methanolic extract of Senna siamea leaf (SSLM). The standard phytochemical screening methods were utilized to investigate the presence of bioactive components, whereas the disk diffusion method was used to observe the antimicrobial activity of SSLM. During the qualitative phytochemical screening, several chemical compounds were found, including alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, phenols and resins which have a variety of biological actions (e.g. anti-inflammatory, anticancer) rendering them beneficial for therapeutic purposes. Antimicrobial activity was assessed against two gram- positive bacteria and three gram-negative bacteria. SSLM showed smaller ‘zone of inhibition’ against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae , Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus. Even though the experimental extract exhibited antibacterial activities, it has not been confirmed which bioactive components are accountable. Thus, our findings demonstrated that S. siamea leaf has antimicrobial properties. The study's encouraging results may also offer a foundation for future research in the development of novel drugs and antimicrobial agents.