PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF DIFFERENT EXTRACTS OF SOLANUM TORVUM (SUNDAKKAI) FRUITS AGAINST HUMAN PATHOGENIC BACTERIA

Solanum torvum (Sundakkai), commonly known as Turkey berry, is a traditionally used medicinal and nutritional plant belonging to the family Solanaceae. The present study was undertaken to investigate the phytochemical constituents and antibacterial activity of different extracts prepared from the fruits of S. torvum. Dried fruits were extracted using different solvents, including petroleum ether, acetone, ethanol, and water. The extracts were evaluated for antibacterial activity against human pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus species using the agar well/disc diffusion method. The results demonstrated that the extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against the tested bacterial strains, with activity varying according to the solvent and concentration used. Among the tested extracts, acetone and petroleum ether extracts showed comparatively higher antibacterial activity, particularly at a concentration of 50 mg. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of important bioactive constituents, including alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, carbohydrates, amino acids, fixed oils, glycosides, and terpenoids in different extracts. Thin-layer chromatography was further used for preliminary separation of bioactive constituents, while mass spectrometric analysis indicated the presence of several metabolites, including flavonoids, alkaloids, and chlorogenic acid-related compounds. The findings support the traditional medicinal importance of S. torvum and indicate that its fruits may serve as a potential natural source of antibacterial compounds. Further investigation and isolation of individual bioactive compounds may help in the development of plant-based antimicrobial agents.

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