Abstract published
International Conference on Conserving Biodiversity for Sustainable Development (INCCBSD-2013)
Supported by TEQIP II, 16th to 18th August, 2013. Organised by Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Odisha, India. pp-55.
Sanjeet Kumar et al. 2013
Department of Botany, Ravenshaw
University, Cuttack- 75 3003, Odisha, India
AMR
(Antimicrobial resistance) is phenomenon of resistance of microorganisms to
antimicrobial drugs to which they were originally responsive. Such effect may
due to natural changes in the microorganisms or due to anthropogenic causes. Therefore
there is need for screening of new plants having good ethnic values to fight
against AMR. Among those plants, Dioscorea
pentaphylla L. is a wild medicinal tuberous food plant commonly available
in Similipal Biosphere Reserve Forest (SBR). Tribal communities of SBR have
been using its parts against microbial infections. Therefore an attempt has
been made to evaluate the phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of
Dioscorea pentaphylla L. tuber
extracts against pathogenic microbes. Aim
of the study was assessment of ethnobotanical values, bioactive compounds,
antimicrobial activity and validation of tribal claims. Ethnobotanical
data collection were made following Christian and Brigitte, (2004).Qualitative
analysis of bioactive compounds were carried out by Harborne, (1973); Trease
and Evans (1989) and Kumar et al.,
(2007).The antimicrobial activity was done using Agar Well Diffusion assay
(Allen et al., 1991).The
ethnobotanical survey indicated wide medicinal values among the tribal
communities of SBR.Tuber extracts are used against different microbial diseases.The
phytochemical analysis showed the presence of bioactive compounds such as
tannin, flavonoids, saponins etc in the
extracts of Dioscorea pentaphylla L.
tuber that posses anitimicrobial activity. Results showed relevant zones of
inhibition against Streptococcus pyogenes
(MTCC 1926), Streptococcus mutans (MTCC
497), Salmonella typhi (MTCC 1252), Vibrio cholerae (MTCC 3909) and Shigella flexneri (MTCC 1457) at
different concentration of the plant extracts used.The
investigation validates the potent medicinal applications of Dioscorea pentaphylla L. among the
tribal communities of SBR against skin infections and other diseases through
phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of the tuber extracts.
Isolation, purification and characterization of bioactive compounds in tuber
extracts will aid to the formulation of new synthetic drugs that may fight
against AMR. The study further suggest to all concerned with biodiversity
conservation and sustainable use of this valuable bioresource of SBR.
