HPTLC fingerprinting and antimicrobial activity of Azadirachta indica leaf extracts

Abstract

Azadirachta indica Juss which also Known as Neem plant used from ancient times for various human ailments as a traditional medicine. To appraise the scientific study for the use of Azadirachta indica, ethanolic extracts of the dried leaves of the plant were subjected to HPTLC finger printing and determination of anti-microbial activity of aqueous and ethanolic extract on five different species of bacteria and a fungus. The ethanolic extract of dried powdered leaves was evaluated by HPTLC finger printing using solvent system of Dichloromethane: ethanol (19:1) which exhibits the identity of different compounds present in the extracts. The antimicrobial activity of the concentrated extracts was evaluated by determination of the diameter of zone of inhibition against the microorganisms using agar well diffusion method. Both plant extracts had antimicrobial effects against the test organisms, however the aqueous extracts were found to show greater anti-microbial effect than ethanolic extract. Thus, the mean diameter zones of inhibition ranged from 0.04mm-50.00mm for aqueous extract and 0.40mm-20.00mm for ethanolic extract at the highest concentration of 50mg/ml. The finding of this study supports the use Azadirachta indica leaves and can be use in the treatment of various microbial infections as alternative systems of medicine.