In vitro biological screening of the stem of Desmodium elegans.
Keywords
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To explore the medicinal importance of the stem of Desmodium elegans, methanolic extract, and its different solvent fractions were evaluated for brine shrimp lethality, insecticidal and phytotoxicity, antifungal, and antibacterial activities.
METHODS
The methanolic extract and its solvent fractions were tested for cytotoxic, phytotoxic, insecticidal, antifungal, and antibacterial effects using our previous published protocols.
RESULTS
The methanolic, DCM, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions exhibited insecticidal effect against Callosobruchus analis and Rhyzopertha dominic. The methanolic extract, n-hexane, DCM ethyl acetate and n-butanol showed 75, 85, 85, 65 and 5% phytotoxicity at the tested concentration of 500 µg/mL respectively. The solvent fractions (DCM and ethyl acetate) were effective against F. solani (10% and 20% inhibition respectively). All the tested samples were devoid of cytotoxic and antibacterial effects.
CONCLUSIONS
It was concluded that this plant can be practiced for control of weeds and insects.
