Ethnopharmacological relevance: Artemisia annua L. is a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of malaria, jaundice and intense fever.
Aim of the study: The aim of the present study was to investigate the phytochemicals, antioxidants, antimicrobial and synergistic potential of methanolic and petroleum ether extracts of A. annua against bacterial and fungal pathogens.
Method: Antioxidant activity of different concentrations of methanolic and petroleum ether extracts of A. annua was determined by DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Antimicrobial activity was determined by agar well diffusion, whereas MIC and synergistic activity was done by broth dilution method.TLC and GC-MS were done to identify active phytocompounds present in methanolic and petroleum ether extracts.
Results: Methanolic extract of A. annua showed higher antioxidant potential (IC50 37 0.75 ± 0.34 μg ml-1) as compared to petroleum ether extract. In antimicrobial analysis, methanolic and petroleum ether extracts of A. annua produced potent inhibitory activity against Candida strains as compared to bacterial strains. Methanolic and petroleum ether extracts of A. annua produced synergistic potential with decrease in MIC from 4 to 264 folds against bacterial (S. aureus and E. coli) and Candida strains in combination with antibacterial and antifungal antibiotics. Sub fraction I of methanolic and petroleum ether extracts was isolated through silica TLC and showed 10-fold more antimicrobial activity as compared to crude extract. GC-MS analysis of sub-fraction I of A. annua revealed 13 major phytocompounds with area more than 1%. Interestingly, 2-Propenoic acid and ridecyl ester (25.88%) were the major phytocompounds.
Conclusion: Phytocompounds of A. annua can be used as bioenhancer of antibacterial and antifungal agents to control drug resistance.
Keywords: Antimicrobial activity; Artemisia annua; Synergistic activity; TLC and GC-MS.
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