Assessment of some Physicochemical Properties and Antimicrobial Activity of an ‘Insoluble’ Extract from the Stem of Chenopodium Ambrosioides Linn

Abstract

This work aimed to determine some physical properties, test for possible bioactive compounds and antimicrobial activity of an extractive which had been obtained as a by-product of another research work which involved cold acid extraction of the stem of Chenopodium ambrosioides Linn with 0.1M HCl. The extract was obtained by cold acid extraction of the stem of Chenopodium ambrosioides Linn with 0.1M HCl. Solubility and melting point were determined and colour observed. Presence of unsaturation and functional group, as well as phytochemicals in the extractive were determined. Antimicrobial activity was determined using Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosae and Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that the extractive was insoluble in petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, acetone, carbontetrachloride, dichloromethane, benzene, n-hexane, tetrachloromethane, n-butanol, acetic acid and cyclohexane; while it was sparingly soluble in water, methanol, ethanol and chloroform. Melting point range was 185-190°C. Phytochemical screening revealed that steroids/terpenoids, flavonoids, unsaturated compounds and alcohols were present, while alkaloids and tannins were absent. The extract inhibited the growth of all the test microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity of the ‘insoluble’ extract could be attributed the presence of the bioactive compounds mentioned above.