ABSTRACT:
This study reports the in vitro antioxidants, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic activity and phytochemical analysis of Indian medicinal spices. The use of medicinal spices or their crude extract provides the unlimited better opportunities to develop the new drugs against infectious diseases. Fresh spices of Quercus infectoria and Papaver somniferum were dried in the shade at room temperature (25º±2ºC) and pulverized to powder using an electric blender. The powder (10g) was percolated in 80mL of absolute ethanol for 48 h after which it was filtered. The ethanol in the filtrate was allowed to evaporate at room temperature to yield the extract concentrate, giving a 10 % yield, were subjected to phytochemical screening for the presence of secondary metabolites by the method of Fadeyi and Harbone. Antimicrobial activity was investigated using the method of agar dish diffusion technique using five clinical strain of human pathogenic organism and anti-inflammatory activity was investigated by measuring the percentage of haemolysis using the method of HRBC and antihelmintic activity was investigated using earthworm test. In addition to this antioxidant activity was determined by measuring both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione -S- transferase, vitamin C and E. Our results revealed that both spices have biologically active compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, phenols and resins and which exhibit the significant levels of antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anthelmintic properties. The results obtained from this study suggested that Quercus infectoria and Papaver somniferum can be used in treatment of infectious diseases caused by various microbes.