Evaluation of Antioxidant Properties and Antimicrobial Activity of Garcinia cambogia Hort. Ex Boerl (Clusiaceae) fruit extracts.

Abstract

Garcinia cambogia Hort. Ex Boerl (Clusiaceae) is a traditionally used medicinal plant claimed to possess antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activity. The present study was aimed to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant property and antimicrobial activity. The antioxidant property of the methanolic fruit extracts were evaluated using two methods. DPPH Radical Scavenging Assay, Total antioxidant phosphomolybdenum method and Total Reducing Capacity. The results revealed that free radical scavenging activity of methanolic fruits extracts of G. cambogia has significant radical scavenging ability on DPPH with IC₅₀ value of 39. 45 µg/ml respectively. The positive control ascorbic acid showed the IC₅₀ values of 32.42 µg/ml. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of Terpenoids, Tannins, Saponins, Phenols, Flavonoids and Steroids compounds. Methanol, Ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts of the plant was tested for antimicrobial activity against Gram positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis,  Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a fungus Candida albicans using agar well plate method. The results obtained in the present study indicated that the fruit of G. cambogia showed the best antimicrobials activity against the C. albicans, S. aureus (G⁺⁾ and K. pneumoniae (G^-). Gentamicin is used as a positive control. In conclusion, the results indicate antimicrobial activity of the extract which could be further explored for purification of antioxidant compounds.