Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Euphorbia terracina L. from Deltaic Mediterranean Coast, Egypt

Abstract

The importance of medicinal plants and traditional health systems in solving the health care problems of the world is gaining increasing attention. The main aim of this study is to evaluate antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Euphorbia terracina L. (family Euphorbiaceae) is short-lived perennial herb, up to 80 cm tall. It was collected from northern sector of Nile Delta at the period of May 2015. Different extracts of Euphorbia terracina, were screened for their antimicrobial activity against nine pathogenic bacterial and one fungal strain using filter paper disc assay. The antimicrobial activity was significantly variable according to the solvent used. Hexane extract was found to be the most effective against most tested organisms followed by methanol extract showed the inhibitory activities against Proteus vulgaris (inhibition zones = 9.3 mm), Petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts exhibited most antimicrobial against Staphylococcus aureus (inhibition zone = 10 mm, each). Antioxidant activity was screened using DPPH scavenging activity. Ethyl acetate extract was found to be the most effective (IC50 = 1.23 mg/mL). Preliminary phytochemical screening on methanol extract showed variations in active secondary compounds. Saponins were found to be the richest one in this regard (39.17±1.3 mg/g D.W.) and total phenolics were estimated 22.11±0.9 mg/g D.W.