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Evaluation of antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the Indian clove Syzygium aromaticum L. Merr. & Perr.
Authors: Wankhede TB
Number of views: 398
Syzygium aromaticum (Synonym; Eugenia aromatica Kuntz.) belongs to family Myrtaceae is a small medium evergreen tree, 2-6 m tall. Generally, plant found medium sized, crown base low, branches semi erect and numerous. Leaves glabrous, with numerous oil glands on lower surface. Flowers small, in terminal cymose cluster, each peduncle bear three - four stalked flowers at the end while sepals minute with triangular projection. Fruits found typically olive shaped, one seeded popularly referred to as mother of clove with distinct aroma. The brown, dried, unopened flower buds called cloves, a name coming from French word “clou” meaning nail. Plant distributed in south-west and central Indian subcontinent and under cultivation in large since ancient time. Mostly, the aromatic or spices plants contain compounds that possess confirmed strong or potent anti-oxidative properties. Antioxidants are very important to human health, including lowering the risk of cancer. Antioxidant combats the effect of free radicals. More danger of free radicals, plants produces more antioxidant. Antioxidant system prevents these reactive oxygen species from being formed at optimum level. They act as scavengers to neutralize effect of free radicals. In present investigation, evaluation of few antioxidants carried out from the fresh plant material and studied. Considering the potent medicinal value of the plant its antimicrobial sensitivity test also carried out against few human pathogenic bacteria like gram positive Staphylococcus aureus MTCC -96, gram negative, Salmonella typhi MTCC- 98, Klebsiella pneumoniae MTCC -661, Proteus vulgar MTCC - 744, and Shigella flexneri MTCC- 1457 along with fungus Candida albicans-183, were used with disc diffusion method. The results of antimicrobial sensitivity compared with the standard antibiotic like Ampicillin and Nystatin (10 μg/ml).