Antibacterial, antioxidant and phytochemical analysis of edible parts of potent nutraceutical plant - Adansonia digitata.

Adansonia digitata Linn. (Bombacaceae), commonly known as baobab has a great potential to be exploited by food and beverages, nutraceutical and natural cosmetic section. Leaves, stem, bark, fruit pulp and seeds of this tree are employed as food stuff as well as medicine hence aptly called as small pharmacy. The present study aims at assessment of nutraceutical potential of methanolic extracts of edible parts of Baobab viz., leaf (MEL), stem (MESt), fruit pulp (MEFP) and seed (MESe) in terms of antioxidant and antibacterial activity. Antibacterial activity was evaluated by Agar Disc Diffusion method against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis, Nocardia sp. and Staphylococcus aureus. All extracts exhibited very little or no zone of inhibition indicating less sensitivity towards bacteria. The oxidative stress due to free radicals is one of the causes for majority of diseases in humans. Antioxidant activity of edible parts of A. digitata was evaluated on the basis of DPPH free radical assay. IC50 was found to be 22 µg/ml (MESt), 23 µg/ml (MEL), 50 µg/ml (MEFP) and 94 µg/ml (MESe) indicating strong antioxidant activities in all edible parts of the plant. Phytochemical analysis of these extracts indicated presence of anthracene, bitter principles, coumarin, flavonoid, lignan and tannin in different plant parts.