Taxus wallichiana as a Potential in vitro Antioxidant with Good Lethal Effect on Pathogenic Bacterial Strains

Objective: Taxus wallichiana as a potential in vitro antioxidant with good lethal effect on pathogenic bacterial strains.
Methods: Antioxidant activity of the different crude extracts of Taxus wallichiana were evaluated using total phenolics, DPPH, Reducing power, DNA sugar damage and lipid peroxidation assays and antibacterial activity against some food borne pathogens were evaluated by using agar dilution method. Results: The maximum percentage inhibition for DPPH standard solution was recorded (72.78%) for methanolic extract, 72.45%, 68.3% and 94.81% for ethyl acetate, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts respectively. The antioxidant activities of the extracts were also determined using the microsomal lipid peroxidation system and the highest antioxidant activity was again observed in petroleum ether extract (97.63%) followed by the methanolic extract (97.56%). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the extracts determined by the agar dilution method were ranging from 50 to 400 mg/ml. However, the extracts like ethyl acetate, chloroform and petroleum ether exhibited marked inhibitory effect against all the test organisms and were more effective than that of methanol extract of Taxus wallichiana. Conclusion: These findings indicate promising antioxidant and antibacterial activity of crude extracts of the Taxus wallichiana and the need for further exploration of their effective use in both modern and traditional systems of medicine.

Author(s): Manzoor Ahmad, Mohd Yaseen, Aashiq Bhat, Bashir A. Ganai, Mohammad A. Zargar, Showkat A. Ganieand Rashida Qureshi

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