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Nandedkar et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5 (5): 595-599 (2017) ISSN: 2320 – 7051
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.5875 ISSN: 2320 – 7051
Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5 (5): 595-599 (2017)
Research Article

In vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Fruit Extract of Aegle marmelos (Bael)

Nandedkar P. H.*, Sonawane P. A. and Chavan V. K.

Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Mahatama Gandhi College of Agriculture Biotechnology Pokharni, Nanded- 431602
*Corresponding Author E-mail: nandedkarph2014@gmail.com
Received: 15.09.2017 | Revised: 17.10.2017 | Accepted: 18.10.2017

ABSTRACT
Aegel marmelos is commonly known as Bael, is a species of tree native to India. The tree has
religious importance, The tree belongs to family rutaceae. Various parts of tree such as
leaves,fruit, seeds,bark and roots has medicinal properties. The present study aimed with
evaluation of methanolic fruit extract for phytochemicals and antimicrobial
activity,Phytochemical screening indicates the presence of flavonoids, phenols, saponins and
other phytochemicals. Extract has low to moderate antimicrobial activity against gram
positive,gram negative bacteria and fungus.
Key words: Aegel maemelos, Bael, Medicinal properties, Phytochemicals, Antimicrobial activity.

INTRODUCTION with strong antioxidant activity have attracted

Traditionally used medicinal plant product has a great deal of attention in recent years.
known for their therapeutic properties. Antioxidants not only inhibit the oxidation of
Nowadays, an increasing number of infectious food, but also for defense of living system
agents are becoming more resistant to against oxidative stress1.
commercial antimicrobial compounds9. The The increasing public interest and
importance of plants in medicine remains even awareness of natural medicine led that
of greater global shift to obtain drugs, as a pharmaceutical industry and academic
result of which attention has been given to the researchers to pay more attention to medicinal
medicinal value of herbal remedies for safety plant12. The trend from western to herbal
efficacy and economy3. medicine is due to the fact that synthetic drugs
It is reported by various researcher have always shown adverse reaction. This led
that antimicrobial properties of various to believe those natural products are safer
medicinal plants are being increasingly from because they are more suitable with biological
different parts of world13. Fruits are important system. The use of medicinal plants for
sources of minerals, fibers and vitamins which treatment is the oldest method of coping with
provides essential nutrients for the human illness. Therefore phytotherapy has been
health. Plants are sources of phytochemicals entered into all system of traditional medicine.

Cite this article: Nandedkar, P.H., Sonawane, P.A. and Chavan, V.K., In vitro Antimicrobial Activity of
Fruit Extract of Aegle marmelos (Bael), Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5(5): 595-599 (2017). doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.5875

Copyright © Sept.-Oct., 2017; IJPAB 595

Nandedkar et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5 (5): 595-599 (2017) ISSN: 2320 – 7051
In recent decades the use of herbal products extracted in a soxhlet apparatus using 200ml
has increased in developed countries. However of methanol. After repeation of cycles the
due to the popularity and global market concentrate were collected20.
expansion, the safety of herbal products has Phytochemical screening- The concentrate
become a major concern in public healthcare6. extract of Aegle marmelos (Bael) were
The search for biologically active screened for phytochemical/secondary
compounds from plant extracts has always a metabolites analysis. Plant constituents has
huge interest to researcher to find out the new several therueptic value. Plant material contain
source of drugs. The medicinal value of plants alkaloids,flavonoids,phenols,carbohydrates,am
lies in phytochemicals that produce a definite inoacids,glycosides,tanninsand saponins
physiological action. These plant constituents etc.Alkaloid test was performed using Mayer’s
are alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic test.Flavonoids was screened with shinoda
compounds16. It is reported that near about all test.Penol and tannin was analysed with ferric
synthetic drugs are resistance to human chloride test. Saponin was screened with foam
pathogens. Synthetically number of antibiotics test.Amino acids were observer with ninhydrin
has developed by various pharmacological test. Molisch’s test were carried for
industries carbohydrates and fehling reaction for
reducing sugar14,21,22.
MATERIALS AND METHODS Antimicrobial activity -- Antimicrobial
Sample collection-- Fruits of Aegle marmelos activity was conducted using the disc
(Bael) were collected from rural area of Jintur diffusion method. The Whatman no.1 filter
located in Parbhani district of Maharashtra in paper was cut into 5mm in diameter. Different
India. The fruits were washed thoroughly to concentration of Bael extract were prepared.
remove the dirt in running tap water for 5 min Disc of filter paper diped into different
and rinsed with sterile distilled water. The fruit concentration of Aegle marmelos (Bael) fruit
sample was cut into pieces and dried under extract. The test microorganism were
shade at 25 2o c for about 10 days. The dried transferred using the cotton swabs on surface
plant samples were grind well into fine powder of sterile nutrient agar plates. Already
in a mixer grinder and sieved to give particle prepared disc were impregnated on seeded
size of 50-150mm. The fruit powder was culture plate using sterile forceps with
stored in air sealed polythene bags at room appropriate labelling. Plate were kept in
temperature before extraction laminar air flow for 30 minute for pre
Other chemicals including methanol, diffusion of extract to occurred and incubated
nutrient agar, nutrient broth, DMSO, procured at 37oc for bacteria and 27oc for fungus for 24
from sigma company. Ferric chloride, hrs. Resulting zone of inhibition was
Wagner’s reagent, Mayer’s reagent, measured4,19.
ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, of
fisher scientific Ltd. In present study two RESULTS
bacterial strains and one fungal strain was The present study carried out by taking Aegle
used. Bacterial strains was Gram positive marmelos (Bael) methanolic fruit extract. The
Staphylococcus aureus , Gram negative study involve the phytochemical screening and
Escherichia coli and fungal strain Aspergillus antimicrobial activity of fruit extract. The
niger was used. extract showed strong reaction for various
Preparation of leaf extract- For extraction phytochemical test. Result of active
methanol was used as solvent. 25 grams of constituents indicated in presence and absence
dried Aegle marmelos (Bael) fruit powder was format in observation table 1.
packed in a whatman filter paper no.1 and was

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Nandedkar et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5 (5): 595-599 (2017) ISSN: 2320 – 7051
Table 1: Phytochemicals screening of Aegle marmelos (Bael) fruit extract
Sr. No. Active constituents Test Name Present/Absent
1 Carbohydrate Molisch’s test ÷
2 Reducing sugar Fehling test _
3 Alkaloids Mayers test +
4 Tannins Ferric chloride test _
5 Proteins Folin Ciocalteau test ++
6 Flavonoids Shinoda’s test ++
7 Amino acids Ninhydrin test +
8 Saponins Foam test _
9 Phenols Ferric chloride test ++
10 Glycosides Sodium nitroprusside test _

Antimicrobial activity were performed microorganism were kept in equal quantity.

using disc diffusion method. The fruit The extract showed good antimicrobial
concentrate were further dissolved in activity against all the bacteria and fungus
methanol and used for activity. The activity used in study. Comparatively the
were completed using different antimicrobial result indicate that the fruit
concentrations of fruit extract of Aegle extract of Aegle marmelos (Bael) has
marmelos. Antimicrobial activity of fruit significant activity against gram positive
extract were analysed against gram positive microorganism. The result of antibacterial
staphylococcus aureus, gram negative and antifungal activity indicated as zone of
Escherichia coli and fungus Aspergillus inhibition in mm in table 2.
niger. The culture quantity (10µl) of all the

Table 2: Antimicrobial activity of fruit extract of Aegle marmelos (Bael)

Sr.No. Microorganism Amount of Concentration of Zone of inhibition in
culture extract mm
1mg/ml 5±1
1 Staphylococcus 10 µl 2mg/ml 8
aureus 3mg/ml 12±2
1mg/ml 3
2 Escherichia coli 10 µl 2mg/ml 7
3mg/ml 9±1
1mg/ml 7
3 Aspergillus niger 10 µl 2mg/ml 7±2
3mg/ml 9±1

a b c
Antibacterial (a), (b) and antifungal (c) activity of Aegle marmelos (Bael) methanolic fruit extract

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Nandedkar et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 5 (5): 595-599 (2017) ISSN: 2320 – 7051
DISCUSSION The medicinal plants constitute an effective
Active constituents are the phytoconstituents source of both traditional and modern
of plant material used as theruptic agent in medicines. Herbal medicines had been shown
number of infections. Methanolic extracts of to have genuine utility and about 80% of rural
the plants showed positive results for many of population depends on its primary health care
tests, indicates that methanol is used as a best over the years. The World Health Organization
solvent for extraction of phytochemicals.Herbs advocated that countries should interact with
have a wide variety of active phytochemicals traditional medicines with a view to
including flavonoids, terpenoids, lignans, identifying and exploiting aspects that provide
sulphides, polyphenols, carotenoids, safe and effective remedies for ailment of both
coumarins, saponins, plant sterols and microbial and non microbial origin15.
phthalides.Several phytoconstituents are used
in cancer treatment, several other herbs and CONCLUSION
their phytoconstituents used in cardiovascular The active constituents of plants are beneficial
problems enhance the immune system10. for plant itself, involves in defence
The phytochemical screening of fruit mechanism. There is no doubt that plants have
extract of Aegle marmelos(Bael) showed that continued to offer a large range of natural
they are rich in proteins, flavonoids and compounds belonging to different molecular
phenols.Most of observed phytochemicals families .The fruit extract of Aegle marmelos
showed medicinal activity as well as showed various bioactive compounds which
exhibiting physiological activity. The are widely used for various activities including
biological function of alkaloids is very traditional medicine.The study required to
important and is used in analgesic, isolate the active constituents from the fruit
antispasmodic and bactericidal activities18. The extract of Aegle marmelos
secondary metabolites like polyphenols are
known as bioactive molecules influenced Acknowledgements
various activities like reproduction as well as Authors wish to thanks Principal of Mahatma
their resistance to parasites and environmental Gandhi College of Agriculture Biotechnology,
stress. Flavonoids demonstrate the whole Pokharni Nanded. for providing necessary
spectrum of biological activities5.Many laboratory facilities to conduct experimental
polyphenols identified as powerful work.
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