Phytochemical and Bioactivity Analysis of Methanolic Extracts of ‘Eranda Sapthakaya’

Abstract

Background: Ricinus communis, Tribulus terrestis, Aegle marmelos, Aerva lanata, Solanum melongena, Citrus japonica, and Solanum virginianum are the herbs used in the traditional ayurvedic decoction known as ‘Eranda Sapthakaya’ which is being used to treat urinary tract infection (UTIs), renal calculi, ankle oedema, heart failure, dysuria, loin pain, and backache. There is a lack of published literature on this herbal medicine. Objectives: To analyse the phytochemicals, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-biofilm activity of the combined methanolic extract of this decoction Methods: Seven dried plant powders were macerated in methanol, evaporated, and combined to achieve 300 mg/mL concentration. The study analysed phytochemicals qualitatively and assessed antimicrobial activity through well diffusion, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) tests. Gentamicin (10 mg/mL) and fluconazole (600 g/mL) were used as positive controls. Crystal violet assay was used to analyse the antibiofilm activity, and the egg albumin denaturation assay was used to assess the anti-inflammatory effect. Diclofenac (50 mg/mL) was the positive control used in anti-inflammatory study. Results: Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, and glycosides in the extract. The methanolic extract inhibited Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (16.7±1.3 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (22.7±0.9 mm) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (28.3±1.2 mm) but failed to inhibit Escherichia coli, Candida spp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae at 300 mg/mL concentration, suggesting its traditional use in UTIs which may be due to other therapeutic mechanisms. The MBC for S. aureus was 150 mg/mL and MIC was 75 mg/mL. The MBC for P. aeruginosa was 300 mg/mL and MIC was 150 mg/mL. The methanolic extract showed a strong anti-inflammatory effect with a maximum denaturation inhibition of 94.6% at 300 mg/mL. About 14% of biofilm activity was noticed for S. aureus at 300 mg/mL, however failed to inhibit biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa. Conclusions: According to the findings, combination of methanolic extracts of seven medicinal plants possesses anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that can be further investigated for novel antimicrobial compounds.