Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Evaluation of anti-leishmanial and antibacterial activity of Waldheimia tomentosa (Asteraceae), and chemical profiling of the most bioactive fraction

Manisha Bhatnagar¹, Anupama Sharma Avasthi¹, Sarman Singh², Sabari Ghosal¹

¹Centre for Plant and Environmental Biotechnology, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida 201303; ²Department of Clinical Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, AIIMS, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi 110029, India.

For correspondence:- Sabari Ghosal Email: sabarighosal@gmail.com Tel:+911204735614

Accepted: 20 August 2017 Published: 30 September 2017

Citation: Bhatnagar M, Avasthi AS, Singh S, Ghosal S. Evaluation of anti-leishmanial and antibacterial activity of Waldheimia tomentosa (Asteraceae), and chemical profiling of the most bioactive fraction. Trop J Pharm Res 2017; 16(9):2169-2178 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v16i9.18

© 2017 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the anti-leishmanial and antibacterial activities of a relatively unexplored whole plant of Waldheimia tomentosa (Asteraceae) and the chemical profiling of its most bioactive fraction.

Methods: The whole plant material was extracted with methanol - water (9 : 1) and fractionated into n-hexane (C₆H₁₄ or n-Hex), dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂ or DCM), ethyl acetate (C₄H₈O₂ or EtOAc) fractions and aqueous residue. The fractions were screened for leishmanicidal activity against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of L. donovani, while antibacterial activity was evaluated against four multi-drug resistant (MDR) clinical isolates by bioassay guided fractionation. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) performed on S. aureus at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Chemical profiling of the most bioactive fraction was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Results: The most significant leishmanicidal activity was exhibited by n-Hex fraction against promastigotes (DD8 strain) with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀ of 89.85 ± 0.84 µg/mL) and intracellular amastigotes (IC₅₀ of 48.3 ± 0.40 µg/mL). The same fraction also exhibited maximum potency against S. aureus and E.coli at MIC of between 62.5 and 125 µg/mL. The fraction comprised mainly fatty acids and alkyl ketones. SEM examination performed on S. aureus at MIC revealed swelling and multiple blisters on cell surface compared to untreated control.

Conclusion: The profound antibacterial activity of Waldheimia tomentosa justifies the use of the plant in traditional medicine for stomach ache and food preservation.

Keywords: Waldheimia tomentosa, Antibacterial activity, Leishmanicidal activity, Stomach ache, Food preservation