Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: In the traditional system of medicine, the plant Capparis decidua is well known for curing a variety of ailments such as toothache, cough, asthma, intermittent fever, rheumatism and inflammation.

Aim of the study: The aim of the current study was to isolate and characterize the constituent responsible for the antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract of C decidua.

Materials and methods: The isolated compound was extracted from ethanolic extract & characterized by spectroscopic methods. The antimicrobial activity of isolated compound was carried out against gram positive strains (S aureus, M luteus, B subtilus) and gram negative ones (P aeruginosa, E coli), and Fungi like C albicans and A niger by the cup-plate assay method and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs).

Results: The active principle Oleiyl glucoside (n-octadec-9-enyl- β-D- glucopyranoside) was isolated from the ethanolic extract. The MIC values of the compound against gram positive bacteria were 62.5μg/ml, 62.5 μg/ml, 125μg/ml and against gram negative ones 31.25μg/ml, 250μg/ml. The compound was found to be active against C albicans 250 μg/ml only.

Conclusions: The isolated compound Oleiyl glucoside showed moderate activity against bacteria and fungi.

Keywords: Capparis decidua, antibacterial, antifungal, oleiyl glucosides