Investigation of Azadirachta indica A Juss as a Source of Potential Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Compounds
Investigation of Azadirachta indica A Juss as a Source of Potential Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Compounds
Nuzhat Munawar1, Abrar Hussain1, Imran Sajid2, Zahra Noreen1, Muhammad Aslam3*, Zeeshan Rehman1 and Aamir Ali3,4
ABSTRACT
Azadirachta indica A Juss. (Neem) is a very valuable therapeutic plant being used as herbal medicine to cure various diseases due to the variety of biologically active compounds present in it. Neem leaves of the plant were collected, dried, powdered, and extracted by using ethyl acetate, chloroform, and acetone as solvents. Qualitative phytochemical analysis showed the presence of active compounds. The antibacterial potential of various plant extracts was evaluated using well diffusion and disc diffusion assay against various disease-causing microorganisms. In the case of well diffusion assay, the plant exhibited a maximum 16mm inhibition zone against B. subtilis a minimum 10 mm inhibition zone against P. aeruginosa, with acetone extract. The same extract seems inactive against K. pneumoniae as compared to control. When tested on S. aureus, chloroform showed a 10 mm inhibition zone while it was inactive against all other experienced bacteria. Ethyl acetate extract gave an inhibition zone of 10 mm against S. aureus, B. subtilis, and P. aeruginosa while it was inactive against the rest of the bacteria. Using disc diffusion assay, ethyl acetate extract gave 12 mm, 8mm, and 7 mm zone of inhibition against B. subtilis, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae respectively, while it was inactive against P. aeruginosa and E. coli. Chloroform extract did not show any pronounced activity as compared to the negative control against E. coli and K. pneumoniae while it was inactive against other tested bacteria. Cytotoxic effect of all the extracts was also evaluated using micro well cytotoxicity assay against brine shrimp larvae where chloroform extract showed minimal cytotoxic level (23.37%) while acetone extract showed maximum cytotoxicity (65%).
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