Evaluation of phytochemicals and antibacterial activity of leaf and leaf derived callus extracts of Artemisia annua L. and Sauropus androgynus (L.) Merr.

The present study focuses on the use of salicylic acid as a plant growth hormone for the induction of callus in Sauropus androgynus and Artemisia annua plants. Higher induction of callus of 72% in S. androgynus (NAA+BAP+SA at +2.5+2.5 mg/ l concentration) and 64% in A. annua (NAA+Kn+SA at 1.0+2.5+2.5 mg/ l concentration) were observed when compared to 52% and 51%, respectively in individual supplementation of plant growth regulators. The phytochemical analysis also revealed the presence of maximum phytochemicals in callus extract compared to leaf extracts of S. androgynus and A. annua there by corroborating with the results of callus induction. The methanol extracts of both callus and leaf extracts of S. androgynus and A. annua exhibited antibacterial activity against all the test pathogens viz., S. aureus, B. subtilis, S. typhi and E. coli. A maximum inhibition zone of 20 mm was observed against S. typhi in methanol callus extract of S. androgynus followed by 18 mm inhibition zone against S. aureus with same extract. It was evident from the results both callus and leaf extracts of the selected plants possessed potential antibacterial activity against all the test pathogens with one or the other solvent extracts. The findings provide a new facelift for callus induction using salicylic acid in selected plants and also pave way for identification of novel compounds for drug development from S. androgynus and A. annua