Abstract

Semicarpus anacardium L.f. is a medicinal plant that belongs to the family of Anacardiaceae and is used by tribals of Similpal Biosphere Reserve, Orissa, India for various ailments. Aqueous and organic solvent extracts of the plant were screened for antimicrobial (disc diffusion method) and phytochemical properties. The petroleum ether (PEE) and aqueous extract fractions (AQE) showed inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus (10 mm) and Shigella flexneri  (16 mm) at 100 mg/ml, respectively. While chloroform extract showed inhibition against Bacillus licheniformis, Vibiro cholerae and Pseudomonas. aeruginosa. The ethanol extract showed inhibition to Pseudomonas  aeruginosa and S. aureus. The oils extracted from nuts did not exhibit any antimicrobial activity. Alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids, anthraquinone and volatile oils were detected in nuts aqueous extracts with only triperpenoid in PEE and steroid in both PEE and chloroform extracts. The phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannin and anthroquinone were present in oils extracted from nuts. The antibacterial activity of the nut extracts of Semicarpus anacardium is due to AQE and PEE-extractable compounds. However, the active component (s) responsible for the antibacterial activity can be isolated.

Key words: Semicarpus anacardium, Anacardiaceae, Phytochemicals, Antibacterial activity.