Abstract

Extractives from the seeds of Momordica charantia Linn were screened for phytochemical, antioxidant and anti-microbial activities against Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidedermis, Klebsiella pneumonia and Proteus mirabilis. The phytochemical screening of Momordica charantia seeds showed the presence of flavonoids, glycosides, sterols, fat and oil in hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts. At concentration of 1 mg/ml the radical scavenging activities of the plant extract was comparable to that of vitamin C used as control but at lower concentrations, the scavenging activity decreases. Therefore, it is a concentration dependent. The crude extract was found active against E. coli at 325 μg/ml, C. albicans at 162.5 μg/ml, S. aureus at 325 μg/ml, S. epidedermis at 500 μg/ml and K. pneumonia at 1500 μg/ml. These results suggest that the active principles in the extract possess broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, thus the plant could be used as a crude herbal drug.

Key words: Momordica charantia, diphenyl-1-picrylhyrazyl radical (DPPH), inhibition, Cucurbitaceae, phytochemicals.