Abstract
The different fractions of extract from the plant Pterocarpus marsupeum were collected and biological activities were tested. Active components were biochemically analyzed for the different bioactive components. LC-MS analysis showed the presence of compounds like pterocarpin (16%) and marsupin (2%). Different biochemical properties of this plant extract were evaluated. On testing some fractions showed significant antimicrobial effect also against tested microbes both clinical and standard strains. Antimicrobial activity against gram positive organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 87and gram negative organisms like Escherichia coli MTTCC 41, Proteus vulgaris MTCC 426 (ATCC 6380), Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 424(ATCC 25619) and Candida albicans MTTCC 183(ATCC 2091) and found to have significant inhibitory effect. The high level of antimicrobial activity observed in case of P. marsupeum can be attributed to the combined action of the phenolic compound - chlorogenic acid, flavonoid compound - pterocarpin and the stilbenes – marsupin. P.aeruginosa, the most susceptible organism to the extract of P. marsupeum (MIC-117.4 µg/ml), was inhibited by the synergistic effect of a concentration of 31.58 µg/ml of marsupin +8.2µg/ml of chlorogenic acid + unquantified pterocarpin. The minimum inhibitory concentration obtained against the resistant strain Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 187.5µg/ml. The chloroform extract of P.marsupeum also showed significant antimicrobial activity. The synergistic effect in combination of the extract with antibiotics also tested and proved to have synergistic effect reducing the MIC value of the drug to two-fold.
