CHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF VERBESINA ENCELIOIDES

From the petroleum ether extract of flowers, betulin, friedelin and lupeol were isolated for the first time along with six other known compounds viz. n-triacontane, ester of ?-sitosterol, tricosyl alcohol,taraxasterol, ?-amyrin etc. During antibacterial screening, water extract of seeds showed appreciable activity (IZ 12 mm) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Similarly, in antifungal screening, chloroform extract of flowers (IZ 30 mm) and alcohol extract of roots (IZ 29 mm) exhibited very pronounced inhibitory activity against Tricophyton rubrum. High degree of free radical scavenging activity (RC50= 70 mcg) on DPPH assay of the pet. ether extract of roots was demonstrated among all the tested fractions.