Available online on www.ijppr.com International Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemical Research 2014-15; 6(4); 831-840 ISSN: 0975-4873 Research Article Antimicrobial, Phytochemical and Insecticidal Properties of Jatropha Species and Wild Ricinus communis L. Found in Mauritius *Sillma Rampadarath, Daneshwar Puchooa, Mala Ranghoo- Sanmukhiya Department of Agriculture & Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius, Réduit, MAURITIUS Available Online: 22nd November, 2014 ABSTRACT Jatropha species and Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) are important medicinal plants growing in both tropical and warm temperate regions of Africa, Southern Asia and Malaysia and are widely distributed throughout the island of Mauritius. These medicinal plants have been reported in several research works and valued for their various uses in traditional medicine for curative properties against inflammation, rheumatism, respiratory disorders, fever, bacterial infection and jaundice, among others. Publications exist on the various traditional and ethno medical uses of the plants, however no known scientific studies have been undertaken locally using Jatropha species and Ricinus communis, and no toxicity against Bactrocera insects have been reported . In this context, the present study was carried out to evaluate the phytochemical, antimicrobial activities and insecticidal properties of different Jatropha species and Ricinus communis (castor). The disc diffusion, MIC and toxicity assays tested the antimicrobial sensitivity and activity of ten microorganisms, lethality effect of the crude solvent extracts. Keywords: Jatropha curcas, Ricinus communis, antimicrobial, phytochemical, insectici. INTRODUCTION cultivated in Mauritius and have been reported to possess Plants and their derivatives have long been used as both traditional antiseptic properties5 all around the world. It drugs and dietary supplements by man. According to contains a wide range of phytochemicals to which its Mahajan1 up to 50 % of current pharmaceutical products antimicrobial activity is often attributed to8. Mauritius were derived from plants but none were used as being multi-ethnic and multi-cultural and with ancestors of antimicrobials. Plants are rich sources of secondary African, European and Indian origin, traditional medicine metabolites, such as tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, and has a profound root in the Mauritian society. flavonoids, which have been found to have in vitro Jatropha species and Ricinus communis L. are non-edible antimicrobial properties2. The development of microbial multipurpose shrubs belonging to the family of antibiotic resistance has required global search for new Euphorbiaceae. They are an uncultivated, non-food wild- antimicrobials of preferably plant origin. Euphorbiaceae, species which grow around the island in backyards and in the spurge family, is a large family of flowering plants with the wild. Different parts of the plant are used locally as about 300 genera and around 7,500 species3. The spurges ethno medicine. Many studies have been done to are herbs, shrubs or trees4. The genus Jatropha belongs to demonstrate the efficacy of Jatropha species against a the Euphorbiaceae family, tribe Joannesieae,that has about wide array of bacteria9,10,11,12 and fungi13. Several studies 170 species. The name Jatropha is derived from the Greek have also revealed that J. curcas has anticancer and word ‘jatros’ (doctor) and ‘trophe’ (food)5. This family antitumor properties14,15. Moreover, phytochemical studies occurs mainly in the tropics. The species are from the carried out on Jatropha have revealed the presence of Indo-Malayan region, tropical America and tropical Africa secondary metabolites. However, none of the studies have and some subtropical countries like South Africa, compared leaves of four different species of Jatropha Madagascar and Mauritius6. Jatropha species are used in using two different solvents for extraction and testing their traditional folklore medicine to cure various ailments in ability to hinder growth of bacteria and fungus, their Africa, Asia and Latin America7. The plants usage as phytochemical constituent and testing their insecticidal traditional health remedies is popular in Asia, Latin properties on larvae of Bactrocera zonata and Bactrocera America and Africa. cucurbitae. The larvae of these two fruit fly species are The island of Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean very adaptable to different climates and have the capacity 2,000 km (1242 miles) off the south east coast of the to survive on different host plants such as peach, guava, African continent (latitude 20° 17' S and longitude 57 ° mango, citrus, cucurbits and mango. They cause serious 33' E). Due to its volcanic origin, age, location and soil economic losses, either by direct damage to fruit or by composition, Mauritius is home to a diversity of flora and insecticide treatments16. fauna. Plants of the Euphorbiaceae family are widely *Author for correspondence Sillma Rampadarath et al. / Antimicrobial, Phytochemical and… (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Fig. 1: Mature leaf samples of the selective medicinal plants (a) J. multifida L. (b) Ricinus communis L. (c) J.curcas L. (d) J. podagrica Hook. (e.) J. integerrima Jack. Table 1: Preliminary screening of phytochemicals in the two solvent crude extracts of Jatropha species and Ricinus communis using Test-tubes and TLC methods Plants Phytochemical Alkaloids Coumarins Flavanoids Steroids Tannins Phenols J.curcas (Rf value) (Rf value) Ethyl acetate ++ ++ ++(0.86) -- -- -- Methanol ++ -- ++(0.87) ++ ++ ++(0.70) J. integerrima Ethyl acetate ++ -- ++(0.73) ++ ++ ++(0.62) Methanol ++ -- ++(0.74) ++ -- -- J. podagrica Ethyl acetate ++ -- ++(0.51) ++ ++ -- Methanol ++ ++ ++(0.55) -- ++ ++(0.75) J. multifida Ethyl acetate ++ -- -- ++ ++ ++(0.74) Methanol ++ -- ++(0.42) ++ -- ++(0.72) Ricinus communis Ethyl acetate ++ ++ ++(0.68) -- -- ++(0.69) Methanol ++ -- ++(0.69) -- ++ -- (++) Presence; (--) Absence; Rf: Retention factor MATERIAL AND METHODS allowed to be macerated in 40 mL of two different solvent Plant Materials: Mature leaf samples (Figure 1.0) were systems: methanol and ethyl acetate for 48 hours. The collected from different localities of Mauritius in Curepipe crude extracts were filtered using Whatman filter paper, (Central Plateau of Mauritius), Nouvelle France (South of pore size 15-18 µm, allowed to concentrate in a ventilated Mauritius) and Grand Baie (North of Mauritius). A small fume cupboard at room temperature and then stored at 4oC. sample of the each plant specimen was sent to the in the dark bottles for further use. Mauritius Herbarium, Réduit, for identification. The fresh Phytochemical screening plant materials were cleaned, washed under running tap Qualitative tests: The tests to detect the presence of water, air-dried for three to four days, then were coarsely flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, steroids, tannins, pounded and stored in tightly closed plastic containers at coumarins and phenols were carried out according to the 4oC. method described by Harborne17. All screenings were Chemicals and materials: All the chemicals and Pre-coated based on a series of test tube tests. The crude solvent silica gel 60 F254 (TLC), were purchased from Sigma extracts were used to test Phenols and alkaloids were also Chemicals®; the media, standard antibiotics from Hi- determined by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and UV Media®; and Oxoid® and microplates from Merck®. The techniques18,19. solvents used for extraction were of analytical reagent Quantitative determination of Total Flavonoid and Phenol grade (AR). content: The total flavonoid content was measured by Metabolite extraction: The decoction method was used to AlCl3 (Aluminium chloride) colorimetric assay. To 500 832 obtain the plant crude extracts. 20 g of fresh leaves were μL of extract and 2000 μL of distilled water, 5% of sodium Page IJPPR, Vol-6, Issue 4, December 2014- February 2015, 831-840 Sillma Rampadarath et al. / Antimicrobial, Phytochemical and… One-way Anova with LSD at 5%; Means that do not share the same letters are significantly different, n= 5 Fig. 2: Quantification of the TPC in the different crude solvent plant extracts One-way anova with LSD at 5%-; Means that do not share the same letters are significantly different, n= 5 Fig. 3: Quantification of the TFC in the different crude solvent plant extracts EA: Ethyl Acetate; ME: Methanol; PE: Petroleum spirit; PC: Positive control (Tetracycline); NC: Negative control; One-way anova with LSD at 5%- n= 5; Means that do not share a letter are significantly different Fig. 4: Mean inhibition activity (mm diameter) of locally plant extracts against Candida albicans (ATCC1023) a b c D Fig. 5: Zone of inhibition (mm diameter) of the some test microorganisms (a) Escherichia coli 0145:H28 Acc. No.CP006027.1 (b) Viridibacillus arenosi Strain LMG 22166 833 (c) Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 (d) Candida albicans ATCC1023 Page IJPPR, Vol-6, Issue 4, December 2014- February 2015, 831-840 Sillma Rampadarath et al. / Antimicrobial, Phytochemical and… nitrate (w/v) was added. After 5 minutes, 150 μL of 10% Nutrient agar plates. The bacteria were grown in nutrient AlCl3 (w/v) was added. 2000 μL of sodium hydroxide (1 broth (NB) at 37o C for 24-48 hours. All the inocula were M) was added after 1 minute followed by 1200 μL of standardised by dilution with sterile NB (0.1mL inoculum distilled water. The mixtures were vortexed and incubated to 9.9 mL NB) to an absorbance of 0.4-0.6 at 600nm. for 30