WORLD JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

D.Ramadevi World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

SJIF Impact Factor 2.786

Volume 3, Issue 7, 633-637. Research Article ISSN 2278 – 4357

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF TEPHROSIA CALOPHYLLABEDD.

ROOTS

D.Ramadevi*

A.U. College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam,

Andhra Pradesh, India.

Article Received on
ABSTRACT
07 May 2014, The genus Tephrosia, is a rich contribution to promising biological
Revised on 25 May
2014, activities. The chloroform root extract of Tephrosiacalophylla were
Accepted on 23 June 2014
tested for antibacterial and antifungal activity,the root extract of
Tephrosiacalophylla showed moderate activity. The activity of the
*Correspondence for Author
extracts increased with increasing concentrations.The antimicrobial
Dr.D.Ramadevi
activity of the chloroform extract were tested at two dose levels.
A.U. College of
Pharmaceutical Sciences, 200mg/ml dose level extracts showed a good amount of antibacterial
Andhra University, activity. Probably the activity is due to the presence of isoflavones like
Visakhapatnam, Andhra caloisoflavones. At 200 mg/ml dose level, the antifungal activity
Pradesh, India
showed positive results. Aspergillusniger has strong activity against
Pencilliumchrysogenum and Rhizopusstolonifer.

Key Words : Tephrosia, Antibacterial , Antifungal, Fabaceae.

INTRODUCTION
Tephrosia (Fabaceae) is a pantropical genus of perennial woody shrubs, with cosmopolitan
distribution in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world [1.2] and it comprise of
about 400 species [3] . Thirty seven species of Tephrosia were recorded in India [4-9] and
with thirteen representatives in Andhra Pradesh state [10-11].

Tephrosia species have been found to be rich source of rotenoids [12-13], isoflavones [14-
15], flavonones /chalcones [16-23]prominent among the group of 5,7-oxygenated [24-28]and
7-oxygenated [23-25] compounds characterized by the occurrence of a C-8 prenyl unit which
has , in many cases, undergone a complex process of further substitution and a cyclization
[26]. The species of Tephrosia were known to possess antimicrobial properties [27-29] and

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D.Ramadevi World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

the author has made a detailed survey on the species which resulted many species and it is
very interesting to note that majority of species exhibited most significant results, hence the
author has proposed to evaluate their antimicrobial potentials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Collection and preparation of plants
The roots of Tephrosiacalophylla were collected from Talakonda forest area, Tirupathi, India
[30-31] during July -2006 and were authenticated by Dr.M.Venkayya, Taxonomist,
Department of Botany, College of Science and Technology, Andhra University, A voucher
specimen (TCR/06/113) has been deposited at the Herbarium, College of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Andhra University,Visakhapatnam, India.

Method of Extraction
The roots (1kg) were air-dried and coarsely powdered in Willy mill and exhaustively
extracted with chloroform (2.5×3Lit) by soxhlet extractor. The obtained extracts were
concentrated under vacuum to get the corresponding residue of 20g.

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY
The chloroform root extract of Tephrosiacalophylla were used for antimicrobial activity. For
testing four Gram (+) Ve bacteria, Bacillus subtilis,Bacillus pumilis, Bacillus cereus and
Staphylococcus aureus.FourGram (-) Ve bacteria, Escherichia coli,
Psuedomonasaeuriginosa, Psuedomonas vulgaris andSerratiamarceseanswere used. The
fungi employed in the antifungal activity were Aspergillusniger, Rhizopusstolonifer,
Sacharomycescerevisiae and Pencilliumchrysogenum using cup plate method.
Chloramphenicol (10µg/ml) for antibacterial and Nystatin (10µg/ml) for antifungal were
employed as reference standard. The extracts were tested at 100mg/ml and 200mg/ml dose
level.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The chloroform extractonespecies of T.calophylla were screened for antimicrobial activity
against a wide spectrum of micro-organisms and the activity was compared with reference
standards (Chloramphenicol for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms and
Nystatinfor fungal strains). Micro-organisms were grown in nutrient agar medium. Dimethyl
sulphoxide (DMSO) was used as control.The antimicrobial activity of the chloroform extract
were tested at two dose levels. 200mg/ml dose level extracts showed a good amount of

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D.Ramadevi World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

antibacterial activity. Probably the activity is due to the presence of isoflavones like
caloisoflavones. At 200 mg/ml dose level, the antifungal activity showed positive results.
Aspergillusniger has strong activity against Pencilliumchrysogenum and Rhizopusstolonifer.

Table: 1 Antibacterial activity of Tephrosiacalophyllaroots extract

zone of inhibition (diameter in mm)
Concentration
Plant material Gram (+)ve Gram (–)ve
(mg/ml)
B,s B.c B.p S.a E.c P.a P.v S.m
T.calophylla:
19 18 - 19 19 12 14 12
chloroform extract 100
200 20 17 12 24 22 18 16 15
Standard:
Chloramphenicol(µg/ml) 10 28 34 24 14 28 19 16 21
Vehicle:
Methanol - - - - - - - -
Zone of inhibition in millimeters, cup diameter: 6mm
B.s.: Bacillus subtilis, B.p.: Bacillus pumilis, B.c.: Bacillus cereus, S.a.: Staphylococcus
aureusE.c.: Escherichia coli, P.a.: Psuedomonasaeuriginosa, P.v.: Psuedomonas vulgaris,
S.m.: Serratiamarceseans-=No activity #Values are the average of triplicate

Table:2 Antifungal activity of T.calophylla roots extract

zone of inhibition*
concentration
Plant material (diameter in mm)
(mg/ml)
A.n R.s S.c P.c
T.calophylla:
Chloroform extract 100 19 11 12 15
200 26 15 14 17

Standard:
Nystatin(µg/ml) 10 27 24 26 20
Vehicle:
Methanol - - - -
Zone of inhibition in millimeters, cup diameter: 6mm
A.n=Aspergillusniger; R.s=Rhizopusstolonifer; S.c=Sacharomycescerevisiae;
P.c.=Pencilliumchrysogenum; -=No activity ; #Values are the average of triplicate.

CONCLUSION
The chloroform root extract of Tephrosiacalophylla were tested for antibacterial and
antifungal activity, the root extract of Tephrosiacalophylla showed moderate activity. The
activity of the extracts increased with increasing concentrations.

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D.Ramadevi World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Author D.Ramadevi is grate full to UGC New Delhi for the award of JRF (NO.U2/RGNF
/(SC/ST)/2008-2009.

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