Author(s):

Neethu S Kumar, Neethu Simon

Abstract: Plants have been one of the important sources of medicines since the beginning of human civilization. There is a growing demand for plant based medicines, health products, pharmaceuticals, food supplements and cosmetics.Gliricidia sepium literally meaning “Rat poison”is a multipurpose tree with source one of herbal medicine in primary health care sector. Entire parts of tree-barks, roots, leaves etc. have ethno medicinal properties. It is used as mosquito repellant, fumigants, treatment of dysentery, wound-dressing, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral as well as CNS depressant agent etc. This article intends to provide an overview of the chemical constituents present in the crude leaf extracts of G. sepium (L) with special emphasis on their pharmacological actions. A comparative antibacterial activity of dried leaf extracts of G. sepium(L) were evaluated against two gram negative bacterial strains namely Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeroginosa by agar cup method. Qualitative phytochemical screening was carried out using the crude leaf extracts in three different solvents such as water, alcohol and chloroform. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts revealed the presence of glycosides, alkaloids, essential oils, sapponins and flavanoids. The leaf extracts of G. sepium(L) were found to have high antibacterial activity. The results suggest that the leaves are a rich source of valuable primary and secondary metabolites exhibiting the antimicrobial activity.

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