ABSTRACT:
Microbial infection like tuberculosis is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Plant derived food products containing phytochemicals have long history for providing much more needed novel therapeutics for the treatment of various biological ailments. Triterpenoid is one of the prominent groups of phytochemicals reported to possess numerous biological activities. Among it, maslinic acid (MA) is a biologically active olean type of pentacyclic triterpenoid. In search of a novel antimicrobial agent, present study was aimed to evaluate MA for its antimicrobial potential. Antibacterial and antifungal potential was evaluated by Agar well diffusion method while, antitubercular activity was evaluated using agar well diffusion and dise diffusion method. Antioxidant capacity was determined by using total antioxidant capacity assay, DPPH radical scavenging assay, hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging assay and Fe" reducing power assay. PASS software based program had been employed to predict the possible biological activities of MA. No inhibitory effect was observed against bacterial strains while moderate antifungal activity was exhibited against A. flavus and U. Maydis, being A. Niger is the most sensitive. But interestingly MA exhibited significant antimycobacterial activity. MA exertad antioxidant capacity in a dose dependent manner as that of ascorbic acid. Probable activities (Pa) of MA by PASS evaluation for the antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activities were 0.479, 0.363, and 0.589 respectively. This work provides the scientific support for antioxidant, antifungal and antimycobacterial activities of MA and it may find potential applications in the development of a natural antioxidant and an antimicrobial agent for the agro-fod and pharmaceutical industries.