Antimicrobial Potential of Helicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser - A less explored Indian mistletoe Growing on Mango Trees

ABSTRACTHelicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser (Loranthaceae) is a less-known medicinally important mistletoe species occurring in India. It is used to check abortion, and also in vesical calculi and kidney affections. There are no detailed studies reporting the antimicrobial potential of this plant. Based on the traditional use and the rich phenolic composition of the whole plant, the antimicrobial property of the alcohol extract was analyzed and the results are outlined in the present paper. For the analysis, zone of inhibition, and minimum inhibitory concentration were used, and the total activity was assayed by standard methodologies. The antimicrobial activity was studied against bacteria like Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyogenes, Vibrio fischeri, and a fungus Candida albicans. Of the eight tested bacteria, the alcoholic extract of H. elastica was found to be active against K. pneumoniae, A. hydrophila, E. coli, and V. fischeri at concentration ranging from 250 to 500μg/ml. C. albicans showed inhibition only at a concentration of 2000μg/ml

Total Phenol Content and In Vitro Antioxidant Potential of Helicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser-A Less-explored Indian Mango Mistletoe

Natural products are an important source of antioxidant molecules like tannins, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, etc., Helicanthus elastica (Desr.) Danser (Loranthaceae) is one such plant belonging to the category of mistletoe, and grows commonly on the mango trees in India. In the present study, an attempt has been made to assess the antioxidant properties of the plant. Ethanol extract of H. elastica growing on mango tree was studied using different in vitro models. Shade-dried whole plant material was extracted with ethanol by cold percolation. Fifty milligrams of the alcohol extract of H. elastica was weighed and dissolved in 10 ml of methanol. The resultant 5 mg/ml solution was suitably diluted to obtain different concentrations. Total phenol content, reducing power assay, and scavenging of free radicals like nitric oxide, hydroxyl, hydrogen peroxide, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl were studied by standardized in vitro chemical methods using ascorbic acid as the standard. The total phenol content of the plant was found to be 1.89% w/w. The extract showed good reducing power as well as scavenging of free radicals (nitric oxide, hydroxyl, superoxide anion, and hydrogen peroxide) at concentrations ranging from 5 to 100 μg/ml. The study revealed the antioxidant potential of H. elastica