Phytochemical investigation and anti microbial activity of corchorus aestuans (tiliaceae)

To investigate the antimicrobial activity and phytochemical screening ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, chloroform, petroleum ether, hexane, hot water, and extracts of Corchorus aestuans (Family: Tiliaceae). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the qualitative analysis of phytochemicals and antimicrobial activity of various solvent extracts of Corchorus aestuans against the clinical isolates of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains and fungus by observing the zone of inhibition. The Gram-positive bacteria used in the test were Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Micrococcus luteus, and the Gram-negative bacteria were Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae, fungus like Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida kefyr and Cryptococcus neoformans. It was observed that ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate, acetone, chloroform, petroleum ether, hexane and aqueous extracts showed activity against bacteria and fungus. The Ethyl acetate extract of Corchorus aestuans showed more activity against Micrococcus luteus ,zone of diameter 13±0.15mm and Escherichia coli, zone of diameter 13.07±0.12mm and hot water extract of Corchorus aestuans showed more activity against Candida kefyr, zone of diameter 12.20±0.20mm and Cryptococcus neoformans, zone of diameter 11.17±0.29mm when compared to other solvent extracts. In this study ethyl acetate extract in bacteria and hot water Extract in fungus showed a varying degree of inhibition to the growth of tested organism, than ethanol, methanol and acetone extracts. The results confirmed the presence of antibacterial activity of Corchorus aestuans extract against various human pathogenic bacteria. Presence of phytochemical and antimicrobial activity is confirmed.