In-Vitro Anti-Bacterial, Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activity of Gezawa (Withania Somnifera L.) Extracts Against Human Pathogenic Bacteria

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is frequently used as traditional medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases. Thisstudy was aimed to assess bioactive compounds, antimicrobial activities and antioxidant studies on different part of W. somnifera. The plant parts were shaded dried and grinded to powders for biological activities. The ethanol, methanol andchloroform extracts were tested for antimicrobial activities. The extracts were subjected to a test of their antimicrobialproperties by paper disc diffusion method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the plant extracts againstselected pathogens were also assessed using the agar dilution method. The highest potential was observed from methanolextract of the stem bark and ethanol extract of the leaf against Staphylococcus aurous with zone of inhibition 15.02 and13.22 mm, respectively. Alkaloids, steroids, saponins, tannins, reducing sugars, phlobatanins, flavonoids, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinone, emodins and coumarins are result of phytochemical assessment. Strong antioxidanteffect of free radical scavenging activity was recorded at 100µg/ml concentration for ethanol stem and root, methanol leafextracts (72.22%, 80.84%, 74.24%) respectively. Chloramphenicol and DMSO were used as positive and negativecontrols. W. somnifera could show powerful antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.