Abstract:
Vateria copallifera is one of the endemic plants in Sri Lanka. Essential oil
and bark of this plant are used as wound washing medicament, as well as for
treatments of haemorrhoids, bile related disorders, diarrhoea, rheumatic
pains, and diabetes mellitus in Ayurveda. Because of these medicinal values,
this study focuses on evaluation of antibacterial activity of acetone and
methanol extracts of essential oil from roots and seeds. The plant materials
were collected in Agalawatta, Sri Lanka and shade dried and powdered. Root
was extracted by percolating separately with methanol and acetone. Essential
oil was extracted from seed using acetone as the solvent. The extracts were
filtered followed by removing the solvents with rotary evaporator. The
antibacterial activity of extracts of V. copallifera was determined against S.
aureus and E. coli using agar well diffusion method by employing Coamoxiclav as the standard. The diameter of zone of inhibition (mm) were
expressed as mean ± SD, and antimicrobial activity of extracts was analysed
with two-way ANOVA. Mean values of inhibition zones of essential oil
against S. aureus for the concentrations 40, 20 and 10 mg/mL were found to
be 8.10 ± 0.10, 7.37 ± 0.32 and 6.50 ± 0.50, respectively. The methanol
extract of roots exhibited inhibition zones against S. aureus for 40, 20 and 10
mg/mL as 24.37 ± 0.55, 20.63 ± 0.55 and 17.67 ± 0.76 respectively, whereas
that of acetone extract were 21.20 ± 0.75, 18.33 ± 0.51 and 16.03 ± 0.50,
respectively. Similarly, the mean inhibition zones of methanol extract of
roots against E. coli were 19.17 ± 0.76, 17.47 ± 0.50 and 15.83 ± 0.76, and
that of acetone extract were 21.43 ± 0.51, 20.37 ± 0.55 and 18.87 ± 0.32,
respectively. Two-way ANOVA revealed that extract type (p<0.001) and
tested bacteria (p<0.001) have significant effect on the antibacterial activity.
Methanol and acetone extracts of V. copallifera roots extracts have higher
antibacterial activity than the extract of essential oil of V. copallifera seeds.
