Antimicrobial Potential of Helicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser - A less explored Indian mistletoe Growing on Mango Trees.
Helicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser (Loranthaceae) is a less-known medicinally important mistletoe species occurring in India. It is used to check abortion, and also in vesical calculi and kidney affections. There are no detailed studies reporting the antimicrobial potential of this plant. Based on the traditional use and the rich phenolic composition of the whole plant, the antimicrobial property of the alcohol extract was analyzed and the results are outlined in the present paper. For the analysis, zone of inhibition, and minimum inhibitory concentration were used, and the total activity was assayed by standard methodologies. The antimicrobial activity was studied against bacteria like Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, Vibrio fischeri, and a fungus Candida albicans. Of the eight tested bacteria, the alcoholic extract of H. elastica was found to be active against K. pneumoniae, A. hydrophila, E. coli, and V. fischeri at concentration ranging from 250 to 500 μg/ml. C. albicans showed inhibition only at a concentration of 2000 μg/ml.
Department of Pharmacognosy, SDM Centre for Research in Ayurveda and Allied Sciences, Laxminarayana Nagar, Kuthpady, Udupi, Karnataka, India.
Koppala Narayana
KN
Sunil Kumar
Department of Experimental Medicine, SDM Centre for Research in Ayurveda and Allied Sciences, Laxminarayana Nagar, Kuthpady, Udupi, Karnataka, India. ; Department of Chemistry, Captain Srinivasa Murthi Drug Research Institute for Ayurveda, Arignar Anna Govt. Hospital Campus, Arumbakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Ariyamuthu
A
Saraswathy
Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Former Dean of Science, Presidency College (Autonomous), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Swaminathan
S
Amerjothy
Department of Pharmacognosy, SDM Centre for Research in Ayurveda and Allied Sciences, Laxminarayana Nagar, Kuthpady, Udupi, Karnataka, India.
Basaviah
B
Ravishankar
Ethyl gallate; Gallic acid; Helicanthus elastica; Loranthaceae; Mango mistletoe