Antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diarrheal potentiality evaluation of whole plant extract of Phyllanthus niruri L.

Abstract

Traditional medicine has utilized Phyllanthus niruri L. (Vhui-amla), a plant belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family, for treating a large number of diseases worldwide. In this study, the whole plant extract was subjected to antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diarrheal assays. In the disc diffusion assay, the ethyl acetate fraction (400 μg/disc) and the chloroform fraction (400 μg/disc) produced broad-spectrum antibacterial properties. Both fractions produced the highest antimicrobial potency (zone of inhibition = 25 mm) against Staphylococcus paratyphi. The chloroform fraction in the DPPH scavenging activity assay exhibited strong antioxidant efficacy with an IC₅₀ value of 22.01 μg/mL, whereas the IC₅₀ value of the standard ascorbic acid was 6.39 μg/mL. The ethyl acetate fraction at 400 mg/kg dose exhibited potent anti-inflammatory properties in the carrageenan-induced hind paw edema method, with 30.97% (p < 0.01), 36.55% (p < 0.01), 44.78% (p < 0.001), and 53.45% (p < 0.001) paw edema inhibition after 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, and 4 hours, respectively. A notable anti-diarrheal effect was also produced by the ethyl acetate fraction at a dose of 400 mg/kg, which caused 40.68% (p < 0.01) fecal inhibitory effects in the castor oil-induced diarrhea method (standard loperamide showed 61.02% (p < 0.001) fecal inhibitory results). P. niruri has been found to be a potential reservoir of antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diarrheal substances that necessitate its further phytochemical screening.

Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 59(4), 195-202, 2024