PHYTOCHEMICAL, SPECTRAL ANALYSIS AND ANTIMICROBIAL EVALUATION OF LEAF EXTRACTS FROM AILANTHUS EXCELSA ROXB

Abstract

The present study was performed on Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. leaves to probe phytochemical constituents and characterize the bioactive compounds using spectral analysis and its antimicrobial activity. Extraction was done using the Soxhlet apparatus method with aqueous, ethanol, methanol, and chloroform. The phytochemical analysis disclosed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, reducing sugars, saponins, steroids, and tannin. The UV spectroscopy studies showed significant peaks for the presence of various phytochemicals. The FTIR analysis confirms the presence of alcohols, amines, alkenes, alkanes, amine salts, carboxylic acids, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, aromatic esters, and Fluro compounds. An antimicrobial study was carried out to evaluate the potential antimicrobial activity against four strains of bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris) and two strains of fungi (Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans) of methanol and chloroform leaf extracts. The agar disc diffusion method assessed the antimicrobial activity of methanol and chloroform leaf extracts compared with standard drugs. The results showed a potential effect as the maximum zone of inhibition was 8.76 mm in methanol and 7.89 mm in chloroform extract. The present study's results reveal the presence of phytochemicals, generated FTIR spectrum profile, and antimicrobial studies for the medicinally important Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. which can be used to determine its therapeutic values for developing new drugs.