Evaluation of Bioactive Potential of the Digera muricata Mart

Abstract

Digera muricata (L.) mart (Amaranthaceae) is a promising medicinal plant used as a prophylactic, antioxidant, anthelmintic, antimicrobial, allelopathic, and antidiabetic. The present study assesses the quantification of primary and secondary metabolites along with the antimicrobial potential of D. muricata. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis was undertaken to evaluate secondary metabolites extracted from leaf extracts of D. muricata by using standard methods. The antibacterial and antifungal potential was studied by using the disc diffusion method. A (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) (GC–MS) study was carried out to recognize the bioactive molecules in the active fraction. D. muricata contained carbohydrates, proteins, steroids, amino acids, cardiac glycosides, coumarin, polyphenol, alkaloids, saponin, tannin, and flavonoids. Results also indicate that ethyl acetate extracts of D. muricata showed significant antimicrobial potential against Streptococcus agalactiae (ATCC13813), Klebsiella pneumoniae (MTCC432), Escherichia coli (MTCC730), Streptococcus pyogenes (MTCC1924), Macrophomina phaseolina, and Candida albicans (MTCC7315). These findings showed that the ethyl acetate extract of D. muricata confined bioactive molecules of therapeutic rank with significant antibacterial and antifungal activity.