Phytochemical Profiling and Biological Activity of Tamarix Nilotica Leaves Extract

Tamarix nilotica. (Tamaricaceae) is one of the most used plants in Sudan folkloric medicine. The powdered leaves of Tamarix nilotica were extracted using 80% methanol; the methanolic extract was then fractionated by Petroleum ether, Chloroform and Ethyl acetate. Phytochmical profiling was carried for all fractions of Tamarix nilotica leaves by using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). The TLC chromatogram revealed the presence of Flavonoids, Phenolic acids, Coumarins, Terpenoids and Alkaloids. However, the ethyl acetate fraction was the richest fraction with polyphenols. The radical scavenging activity of Tamarix nilotica leaves was screened by using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), the antioxidant results were expressed as concentration of inhibition (IC50) of the free radical DPPH. The extract give highest antioxidant activity 82±0.01% with IC50 0.0093∓0.09μg/ml. compared to the control standard Gallic acid. The scavenging activity of Tamarix nilotica leaves fractions increases correspondingly with the increasing polyphenolic content. The aforementioned extract was screened for antimicrobial activities against five standard bacteria (Bacillus subtitles, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli, one fungi (Candida albicans) using in vitro agar well diffusion method. The methanolic extract at a concentrations (5mg/ml) was significantly active against Staphylococcus aureus (20 mm), Bacillus subtilus (18 mm), Protues vulgaris (20 mm), Pseudomona. aeruginosa,(21 mm) and Escherichia coli (14 mm). Furthermore, this extract at the same concentration possessed activity against Candida albicans (20 mm). Methanolic extracts of Tamarix nilotica showed stronger action against urease activity, parentage of inhibition (loss of enzyme activity) reported as ˃ 70%.