Studies on Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and Antimicrobial Activity of Indian Medicinal Plant Drug

Abstract

The present study investigated the pharmacognostic and phytochemical profiles of selected Indian medicinal plant drug to explore its therapeutic potential and antimicrobial properties. Comprehensive pharmacognostic evaluations, including macroscopic and microscopic analyses, were conducted to authenticate and standardize the plant material. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of key bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and glycosides. The antimicrobial efficacy of the selected plant extracts of Capparis decidua was evaluated against a panel of pathogenic microorganisms, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, using the agar well diffusion and microdilution methods. Results demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging between 50 and 500 µg/mL for select extracts. These findings highlight the potential of these Indian medicinal plants as sources of bioactive compounds for developing novel antimicrobial agents. The study underscores the importance of integrating pharmacognosy and phytochemistry with microbiological assessments to validate the traditional medicinal uses of plants and guide future drug discovery efforts.