HPLC, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Methanolic Extract of Berberis aristata Stem

The components in methanolic extract of Berberis aristata stem were identified by HPLC. The three components which were identified are Berberine (95.52 %), Palmitine (2.64 %) and Jatrorrhizine (1.83 %). The antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract were determined by DPPH (1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) assay and Nitric oxide scavenging method. The methanolic extract was able to reduce stable purple colored DPPH reaching 50 % of reduction with IC50 values as IC50 for methanolic extract=0.90 mg/ml, IC50 for Gallic acid = 0.61 mg/ ml IC50 for BHT = 0.41 mg/ml. The methanolic extract reduced the concentration of DPPH free radical with an efficacy near to that standard Gallic acid. In case of Nitric oxide scavenging assay, IC50 values have been found to be 0.80 mg/ml, 0.65 mg/ml and 0.60mg/ml for the methanolic extract, gallic acid and BHT respectively. The antibacterial activity of methanolic extract was evaluated on bacteria strains like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis by using agar well diffusion method. The results were compared with ampicillin, a commercial antibacterial agent. Methanolic extract showed maximum (19mm) zone of inhibition against Bacillus subtilis. The MIC values of methanolic extract for different pathogenic bacteria ranged from 37 to 111g/ml.