PHYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION, ANTIBACTERIAL EFFICACY, GROWTH KINETICS, ANDTAXONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA LEAF EXTRACT FROM THE KAROONJHARMOUNTAINS, NAGARPARKAR, SINDH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48047/HM.V8.I2.2022.869-879Keywords:
Azadirachta indica, Karoonjhar Mountains, Silver Green Nanoparticles (Ag0Nps), Characterization, Gram Negative Bacteria, Tryptic soy agar, Antibacterial activity, E.coli, S.typhimurium., Growth kinetics, Phytochemical analysisAbstract
Azadirachta indica (neem) is a widely recognized medicinal plant with established antimicrobial properties. This study investigates the phytochemical composition, antibacterial activity, and growth kinetics of methanolic leaf extract of A. indica collected from the Karoonjhar Mountains, Nagarparkar, Sindh—a region with a unique ecological profile. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins, and alkaloids, while phenolics, tannins, steroids, and anthraquinones were absent, indicating a distinct phytochemical signature compared to other regional varieties. Antibacterial activity was assessed using agar well diffusion and optical density (OD) measurements over 20 hours. Significant zones of inhibition were recorded for Klebsiella pneumoniae (24 mm), Proteus (12 mm), and Staphylococcus aureus (24 mm), suggesting potent antibacterial effects. Growth kinetics further supported these findings, with lower OD values in extract-treated groups compared to controls—for example, OD of E. coli remained at 0.32 (extract) versus 0.77 (control) at 20 hours, and Bacillus subtilis OD was 0.21 (extract) vs. 1.06 (control), indicating growth suppression. Compared to standard antibiotics, the extract displayed comparable or enhanced inhibitory effects against several strains. These results demonstrate the broad-spectrum antimicrobial potential of A. indica from Karoonjhar and suggest that its unique phytochemical profile may enhance its antibacterial efficacy. The findings highlight the importance of regional phytodiversity in medicinal plant research and provide a basis for further bioactive compound isolation and mechanism studies.
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