Evaluation on Antibacterial Activity and Hepatoprotectivity of Rauwolfia serpentina

Gnanasekaran Ashok^1,6*, Yukshna A/P Ramunaidu², Fouad saleih R.AL-Suede^3,4 Murugesan Karthikeyan¹, Pugazhandhi Bakthavatchalam⁵, Sajeewa P.  Rathnayake⁶

The results of this study provide scientific evaluation of antibacterial activity and hepatoprotective effect of Rauwolfia serpentina which will be useful to researchers investigating the compounds with this potential and encouraging the development of new findings in this field.

Abstract

Background: Rauwolfia serpentina plant known as Indian Snake Root is widely being utilized throughout the world as a traditional herbal plant capable of relieving various types of human infectious disease due to the presence of several types of bioactive compounds. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the antibacterial and hepatoprotective activity of 70% ethanolic leaf extract of Rauwolfia serpentina. The leaf extract of Rauwolfia serpentina improves the antibacterial activity and hepatoprotectivity by expressing its bioactive metabolites. Methods: The antibacterial activity was studied using disk diffusion method and hepatoprotective activity by liver function tests (LFT) and histological examination. The biochemical parameter of LFT includes Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) while haematoxylin and eosin staining was used to observe the morphology of the mice liver section. In this hepatoprotective study, about 20 mice were divided into four groups designated. All the groups were fed with plant extracts for 6 days. Results: In a mouse model of paracetamol-induced hapatotoxicity, ethanolic leaf extract of Rauwolfia serpentina showed a good response to hepatoprotective activity by rearrangement of the liver architecture and decreasing the level of ALT. In addition, the ethanolic leaf extracts of Rauwolfia serpentina were tested against five different bacterial strains: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aureginosa, and Proteus vulgaris. As a result, when compared to the conventional antibiotic, Gentamycin, the ethanolic extract of the plant demonstrated antibacterial activity. Conclusion: This study showed that 70% ethanolic leaf extract of Rauwolfia serpentina has antibacterial activity and hepatoprotective properties.

 Keywords: Alanine aminotransferase, Antibacterial activity, Hepatoprotectivity, Paracetamol and Rauwolfia serpentina

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