Evaluation of antifungal and antioxidant potential of two medicinal plants: Aconitum heterophyllum and Polygonum bistorta

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Main Authors: Neelma Munir, Wasqa Ijaz, Imran Altaf, Shagufta Naz
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014
• Subjects: Medicinal plants; Antifungal; Antioxidant; Biomedicines; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.12980/APJTB.4.201414B182; https://doaj.org/article/05319cb4a09f4131a99247b8ad9fd95e

Objective: To focus on the evaluation of antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of two endangered medicinal plants Aconitum heterophyllum (A. heterophyllum) and Polygonum bistorta (P. bistorta). Materials: Plant extracts were obtained by using microwave assisted extraction method. The in vitro antifungal activity of A. heterophyllum and P. bistorta extracts were determined by measuring diameters of inhibitory zones of these extracts against Aspergillus niger and Alternalia solani. Results: Methanolic extract of A. heterophyllum showed significant (P≤0.05) antifungal activity against both the tested organisms. It was also observed that ethanolic extracts of P. bistorta also had good antifungal activity against the tested fungal strains as compared to the methanolic extracts. It showed significant antifungal activity (P≤0.05) against both the tested strains. Antioxidant activity of methanolic and ethanolic extracts of A. heterophyllum and P. bistorta were also measured using a radical scavenging method. Ascorbic acid was used as a standard. Conclusions: It was observed that A. heterophyllum and P. bistorta have significant antioxidant activity. Higher antioxidant activity was recorded in methanolic extract of A. heterophyllum as compared to its ethanolic extract. However, in case of P. bistorta ethanolic extract of the plant exhibited higher antioxidant potential than methanolic extracts. Hence both of these plants have significant antimicrobial as well as antioxidant potential.