Phyto-Pharmacological Screening of Some Weed Members of Family Amaranthaceae for their Antibacterial Potential

Shalini Sharma

Dept. of Botany, Jamshedpur Co-operative College, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, 831001

*Correspondence: drshalini.jcc@gmail.com

DOI: https://doi.org/10.71431/IJRPAS.2026.5703     

INTRODUCTION

The excessive and indiscriminate use of commercially available antibiotics has contributed significantly to the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens associated with infectious diseases.  If antibiotic resistance could not be overcome there will be no cure for tomorrow. Thus, the need of the hour is to find out safer alternative antimicrobials for these antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Currently, bacterial resistance is combated by the discovery of new drugs. In addition to the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance, antibiotics are often associated with adverse effects in the host, including hypersensitivity, immunosuppression, and allergic reactions. These limitations have prompted researchers to explore alternative antimicrobial agents. This has created a lot of curiosity among researchers to explore various plants for their antimicrobial potential against various infections and diseases [1]. Natural products extracted from plants are time tested as has been used and mentioned long back in traditional medicine literature and are integral components of traditional medical systems such as Chinese, Ayurvedic, and Egyptian medicine [2]. Due to their efficiency, cost effectiveness and availability these natural products are quite popular and relied by about 75–80% of the global population as primary health care resources [3].

Biological activity of these plants is due to presence of secondary metabolites that have vast therapeutic value among other benefits. These secondary metabolites are defensive in nature and play key role to fight against various biotic and abiotic stresses plants face. These antimicrobials extracted from plants have vast therapeutic potential (Table 1). The phytochemical components, organic bioactive substances, nutrients and fibre found in healing plants, fruits and vegetables protect us too against a variety of diseases. 

Weed is defined as any plant that is growing in unwanted areas or plants growing in everlastingly human-disturbed environments but does not depend on human interference for reproduction and survival. These weeds have only harmful impact or could also be beneficial, as many of these species are edible, are quite self-resilient, grow without any human aid or intervention and are also quite resistant to most of the microbial diseases so are promising candidate for source of herbal medicines when compared to the cultivated crops, which shows susceptibility to various diseases. [21].

Since only about 15% of the known medicinal plants have so far been pharmacologically tested, these plants have a lot more to offer to the field of medicine. Thus, there is still ample scope and possibility for developing new drugs and pharmaceutical raw materials from plants. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To investigate, leaves of three weed members of family Amaranthaceae viz., Chenopodium, Amaranthus and Achyranthus were selected for present study. These are generally used in folk medicines in the treatment of pharyngitis, gingivitis, bronchitis, infected wounds, topical ulcers, and as antiparasitic agents.

1.      Achyranthes aspera (Chirchita): Antimicrobial anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer especially promising in pancreatic cancer [22][23][24].

2.      Amaranthus palmeri (Chowlai): Antioxidant activity, anticancer potential, anti-hyperglycaemic and hypolipidemic activity, neuroprotective and antidepressant action, anti-inflammatory activity [25][26][27]. 

3.       Chenopodium album (Bathua): antioxidant, antifungal efficacies, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, nephroprotective effects, hepatoprotective properties, managing diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases [28][29].

For phytochemical screening of these plants spot tests were performed as per Table 2. [30]

To evaluate the antimicrobial activity of these three plants two categories of microbes were selected as: -

1. Gram positive Bacteria- Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus sp. and Streptococcus sp.

2. Gram negative Bacteria- Salmonella sp.

Antimicrobial susceptibility assay

Agar well diffusion method [31] was used to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of plant extract. The Agar well assay was carried out by preparation of 6 wells of 5mm diameter using sterile cork borer per 90mm nutrient agar plate aseptically. The inhibition zones were recorded. The experiment was performed in triplicate under strict aseptic conditions in terms of the mean diameter of the zone of inhibition (in mm) to ensure consistency of all findings.

In the present study for comparative analysis in terms of effectiveness of various plant extracts in aqueous, acetone, methanol and ether against selected microflora, organic solvent used in preparation of extracts were also used as negative controls during the study. Ampicillin and Streptomycin (1ug/ml) were used as a standard antibiotic as positive control.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Phytochemical screening of leaf samples of all three weeds reveal presence of Phenol & tannin, Flavonoids, Glycosides, Saponins, Steroids, Terpenoids and Alkaloids (Table 4). Presence of above-mentioned compounds can play major role in various biological activities (Table 1) right from inhibiting the microbial growth to destroying of cancer cells as reported by [32] and important medicinal properties [33] thus makes these plants a good antimicrobial agent. In order to prevent hazardous germs from proliferating, medicinal plant extracts are potent food preservatives and are often used in food industry [34]. Flavonoids and phenolic compounds are known to be potent antioxidants, anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immune system-stimulating and skin-protective so have potential as pharmaceutical and medicinal agents [35]. Leaves of all three plants proved to be good antibacterial agents as it exhibited good antimicrobial activity against both gram positive as well as negative bacteria (Table 5) [36][37][38] in all the solvent phases used except in aqueous phase that was ineffective against all the bacteria tested. Chenopodium leaves showed best results against Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and Salmonella in acetone extracts whereas against Bacillus, Achyranthes leaves extracted in methanol were most effective (Fig. 1) Similarly, [38] reported that Gram positive bacteria are more susceptible to organic solvents as compared to gram negative bacterial species. 

Table 1 Phytochemicals and Their Biological Activities

Table 2 Spot Tests for Confirmation of Diff. Phytochemicals

Table 3 Percent Yield of leaves in different extraction phases

Table 4 Results of Spot Tests to investigate Biochemical Status of Different Plants

Table 5 Antimicrobial potential of different plant extracts

Fig 1 Comparative Antibacterial Potential of Different Plants

CONCLUSIONS

 Several antibiotics are in use to treat different diseases caused by human pathogenic microorganisms. It is being observed that the synthetic derivatives or synthetic antibiotics are effective, but unsafe for use. Various pathogenic microbes are becoming resistant and modifying themselves into super bugs or multidrug resistant strains. To fight against these pathogens there is a need for the introduction of new antimicrobials. At the same time, the side effects and adverse reactions caused by these multi-spectrum antibiotics are not ignorable. Contrary to it, plants are a rich source of therapeutic agents, which is the basis alternative traditional medicinal system. These herbal therapies are cost effective and free from any side effect [39].  It is anticipated that these phytochemicals can have antimicrobial efficacy [40]. Here we present the information about some weed plants which are reported to be antimicrobial in nature and act against human pathogens and other bacteria as well.

The efficacy of their antimicrobial action needs to be screened for their biological functions. Phytochemical screening of plants tested revealed presence of multi-spectrum secondary metabolites present in plants providing potential for various vital activities as well as antimicrobial property of plants. This secondary metabolite includes Phenol and Tanins, Flavonoids, Glycosides, Saponins, Steroids, Terpenoids and alkaloids responsible for various therapeutic properties to plants [41]. These phytochemicals impart anti-apoptosis, antiaging, anticarcinogen, antiinflammation, antiatherosclerosis, antioxidant, cardiovascular protection and improvement of endothelial function, as well as inhibition of angiogenesis and cell proliferation potential to them [42]. To conclude all three weed plants Chenopodium, Achyranthes and Amaranthus showed antibacterial potential to a great extent against all the four bacteria tested. Further its dose dependent studies, its cytotoxicity studies and quality control with pharmacological is required for better understanding of its pharmacological validation, mechanistic studies and drug development from these weed plants.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Author is thankful to Ms. Manisha Rani, MIET, Meerut and Jamshedpur Co-operative College, Jamshedpur for their kind support.

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