Abstract

Morus alba, Asparagus racemosus and Murraya koenigii are commonly used in Indian traditional medicines for the various ailments. The plant extracts were analysed for antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities and their mechanism of action towards human oral fungal pathogens. In the present study, methanol extracts were obtained using a soxhlet apparatus and microbes were obtained from microbial type culture collection and gene bank, Pune. The total phenol and flavonoid were found to be high in Murraya koenigii (2.77 mg gallic acid equivalents/g) and Morus alba (160 µg Quercetin equivalent/mg) respectively. The maximum radical scavenging activity was shown by Murraya koenigii in 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (71 %) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (82.57 %) methods. The maximum antibacterial and antifungal activities were observed in Asparagus racemosus towards Lactobacillus acidophilus (23 mm) and Candida krusei (10 mm) respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration was also determined. The target of antifungal activity of Asparagus racemosus towards Candida krusei was not cell wall whereas targets the cell membrane which is confirmed by sorbitol assay, transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry. This research can be used as a base to find the active components responsible for antibacterial, antifungal and antioxidant activities.