Antibacterial and antioxidant properties of Holarrhena pubescens (Bangla name- “Kurchi”) Bark Crude extract

Abstract

The use of plants and their derivatives for therapeutic purposes dates back to the beginning of human civilization. Holarrhena pubescens, commonly known as "kurchi," is a medicinal plant recognized for its diverse therapeutic properties. This study investigates the antibacterial and antioxidant potentials of Holarrhena pubescens bark extracts. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using the DPPH assay. The free radical scavenging activities of the extracts ranged from very strong to strong, with chloroform extracts showing the lowest IC50 value of 15.59 μg/ml and ethyl acetate extracts showing the highest at 157.14 μg/ml. All partitioned extracts demonstrated significant potential as antioxidants, given that IC50 values below 50 indicate very strong activity. Contrarily, the antibacterial tests indicated that Holarrhena pubescens lacks antibacterial properties. Despite this, the plant’s potent antioxidant capabilities merit further investigation. Future research should focus on the isolation of pure compounds using column chromatography and explore the plant’s potential anticancer properties. These findings underscore the therapeutic promise of Holarrhena pubescens, particularly its antioxidant activity, which could lead to the development of new, effective medicinal drugs. Further in-depth studies are necessary to fully elucidate the plant’s bioactive compounds and their possible applications in medicine.