Preliminary Phytochemical Screening, Biochemical Analysis and Antibacterial Activity of Mulberry (Morus spp.), Coleus amboinicus Lour., and Sauropus androgynus (L.)

Abstract

The present study aims to screen three well-known plants for their biochemical constituents and their antimicrobial activity on gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. The three botanical extracts chosen for the study are from Morus V1 Variety, Coleus amboinicus and Sauropus androgynus.  Mulberry (Morus spp.), plays a vital role in the sericulture industry, as it is rich in bioactive phytochemicals it has got some medicinal properties. Coleus amboinicus are also known as Indian Borage  it is a popular medicinal plant  which belongs to the family Lamiaceae(Amol et.al 2023). It is distributed in almost all over India. Coleus Lour. is a genus used to treat a wide range of diseases such as disorders of the digestive system, respiratory ailments and various skin conditions (Lukhoba et al., 2006; Waldia et al., 2011, Guilherme Perez Pinheiro et al., 2023) Sauropus androgynus L. Merr is an unexploited medicinal shrub under the family Phyllanthaceae known as a green multivitamin plant and used as a leafy vegetable (Dhaneswar Swain et al., 2024). “Many phytochemicals from the leaf extracts of S. androgynous are reported to act as antioxidant, anti-microbial, wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity agents” (Dhaneswar Swain et al., 2024). Because of the significance of the selected  plants in health care, an attempt has been made  to investigate the phytochemical profile, biochemical constituents, and antibacterial activity of leaf extracts from Morus spp. (V1 variety), Coleus amboinicus, and Sauropus androgynus on gram +ve bacteria Staphylococcus aureus which  is  commonly  reported to be the  main reason for causing majority of human nasal passage, skin and soft tissue infections. In the present investigation phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, steroids, saponins, tannins, lignins, and glycosides in all three species. Biochemical analyses revealed considerable concentrations of carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, and chlorophyll, supporting their nutritional potential. Antibacterial activity assessed by agar well diffusion showed significant zones of inhibition, particularly in ethanol extracts against Staphylococcus aureus These findings highlight the medicinal value of the selected plants and suggest their applicability in developing affordable, plant-based antimicrobial and nutritional products.