Phytochemical investigations and in vitro evaluation of Mikania micrantha Kunth. ex H.B.K leaf extracts for antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.

The present investigation evaluates the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of Mikania micrantha (MM), which is a rich ethnomedicinal plant with wide range of medicinal properties confirmed through literature reviews. The preliminary extraction of the dried leaves with various solvents (Petroleum ether, Dichloromethane (DCM), Ethyl acetate (EA) and n-Butanol (NB)), followed by phytochemical screening, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The antimicrobial susceptibility studies were conducted against gram (-) and gram (+) bacteria. The antioxidant activity was performed through reducing power, ferric thiocyanate and thiobarbituric acid methods. The antimicrobial activity shows good result for butanolic fraction (zone of inhibition 14-20 mm and MIC 1-6 mg/ml).The antioxidant activity of butanolic extract of M. micrantha (BEMM) shows good profile for total phenolic content (24.78 mg GAE/g MM), absorbance in reducing power method (1.89 nm), percentage inhibition for ferric thiocyanate method (79.97%) and thiobarbituric acid method (74.46%) respectively. The current result supports the medicinal use of the leaf which acts as an antimicrobial and antioxidant agent. The present work has the nobility as no such work has been done with the above plant.