Phytochemical, Antidiarrhoeal, Cytotoxic And Antimicrovial Activities of Leaves of Thevetia peruviana

Abstract

Preliminary phytochemical screening, antidiarrhoeal, cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of ethanol extract of leaves of thevetia peruviana were studied. Cardiac glycoside showed strong positive result as a phytochemical agents and other chemicals such as alkaloids, flavinoids, tannins and saponins exhibited negative result. The extract also showed significant (P<0.01) antidiarrhoeal activity on castor oil induced diarrhoeal model in rats. Cytotoxicty was determined against brine shrimp nauplii. In cytotoxic determination LC50 of the plant extract was 627.21μg/ml, Disc diffusion technique was used in vitro antibacterial activities and exhibited poor antibacterial activities against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria (mainly bacillus sp). Among them only Shigella flexineri, Salmonella typhi, Klebsiella sp, Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella sonnei culture showed small zone of inhibition (mm) in ethanol extract of leaves of thevetia peruviana.