Vol. 6, Issue 9 (2017)

Author(s):
RL Shrestha and N Timilsina

Abstract:
Rumex nepalensis Spreng. Subjected to extraction with methanol, hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides and steroids from the phytochemical screening. The antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities of the crude ethyl acetate extract of R. nepalensis were studied. The ethyl acetate fraction showed inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli with the MIC values of 6.3 mg/mL and 3.1mg/mL, respectively. It failed to show any inhibition against the tested fungi. While the crude ethyl acetate extract showed efficient DPPH antioxidant activity with IC50± SEM = 26.6 ± 3.1 µg/mL. The above selected plant was shown by in vitro assays to be a potential source for natural antioxidant and antibacterial agent. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of 20 major possible compounds.