VALIDATIONS OF TRIBAL CLAIMS ON VANDA TESSELLATE (ROXB.) HOOK. EX G. DON., VITEX NEGUNDO L. AND HOLARRHENA ANTIDYSENTERICA WALL.EX.A.DC. THROUGH PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY
Traditionally plants have been used as a source of medicine in India by indigenous people inhabiting various terrains for the control of different ailments afflicting human. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 80 % the world’s population depends upon the traditional treatment which involves plant extract. The present investigation elucidates the ethno botanical claims of Vanda tessellate, Vitex negundo and Holarrhena antidysenterica through phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity. Study was conducted during the year 2012-2014 following standard ethno botanical methods. Data about medicinal uses of plants were collected by questionnaire, personal interview and group discussion with pre identified informants. A preliminary phytochemical screening was conducted on the selected medicinal plant extract using standard qualitative and quantitative analysis. The phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of secondary metabolites like alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, anthraquinones and saponins. Antibacterial studies of the ethanol, n-hexane, chloroform and acetone extracts showed inhibitory activity against Shigella flexneri (MPT 1457), Vibrio cholera (MPT 1906) and Escherichia coli (MPT 1231) with zones of inhibitions of 50-56, 40-56 and 43-53mm, respectively. Results invariably confirms the folkloric usage of the various plant parts in the treatment of the diseases with careful selection of extracting solvent and recommends for pharmacological studies for future herbal drugs. The study encourages further investigations to extract and identify the active chemical compounds responsible for the antibacterial effect observed