Evaluation of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of senna alata and its phytochemical constituents / Nur Falahi Shahril

Senna alata has been used to treat wide range of microbial and inflammatory diseases in traditional medicinal practice. In relation to growing demand of plant-based drugs, call for this research, which aimed at evaluating the phytochemical contents, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of S. alata. Two different percentage of solvents were used; 70% and 95% of ethanol. The extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening using standard procedures, and the antimicrobial activity against two bacterial isolates which are Escherichia coli and Bacillus licheniformis were tested using Kirby bauer disc diffusion method. Phytochemical screening shows the presence of flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, steroids, saponin and terpenoids in the leaves extract. The 95% ethanolic extract of Senna alata showed antibacterial activity with zone of inhibition (ZOI) diameter of 15.3±1.2mm, 12.3±1.2mm and 9.3±1.2mm while 70% of ethanolic extract showed 12.7±2.5mm, 11.3±1.2mm and 11±2.4mm on Escherichia coli. When tested on Bacillus licheniformis, 95% ethanolic extract of Senna alata showed 9.7±0.9mm, 7.3±0.5mm and 6.7±1.2mm ZOI, while for 70% ethanolic extract; 11.7±1.2mm, 9.7±3.1mm and 8±1.6mm were recorded. The results indicate that Senna alata leaves has the potential that can be harnessed to produce complementary medicine for antibacterial activity. For the anti-inflammatory activity test, the 95% ethanolic leaves extract of this plant showed 36.8 % of inhibition while diclofenac sodium exhibited 29.6 % of inhibition at the same concentration which is 0.25mg/ml. These results revealed that the leaves extract of Senna alata possesses significant anti-inflammatory activities based on the inhibition of protein denaturation