COMMON WEED’S PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND IN-VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY

Alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, and phenolic compounds are among the phytochemicals that have a significant impact on antimicrobial activity. These substances can be derived from several plant components, including the roots, stems, and leaves, and are used to treat bronchitis, cholera, dysentery, fever, and diarrhea. In this work, the phytochemicals from the dried leaves of Parthenium, Datura stramonium, and Calotropis gigantea are attempted to be extracted. These weeds are frequently found in India and are members of the Asteraceae, Solanaceae, and Apocynaceae families. The presence of phytochemicals, the effectiveness of the antibacterial effect on nine selected bacterial species, and the antifungal activity on eight fungi obtained from the Genohelix lab were all tested using aqueous, methanol, and n-hexane extracts. Aqueous and methanolic extracts from Datura stramonium and Calotropis gigantea revealed the presence of alkaloids and phenolic compounds, however, n-hexane extracts from all of the test plants failed to detect any phytochemical components. Compared to the conventional antibiotic penicillin, the antibacterial activity of Datura stramonium was most efficient against Staphylococcus citrus with a zone inhibition of 18 mm; however, antifungal activity was not as effective.