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International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences Research Article
Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity of Antigonon leptopus
Shyamji Shukla
Year : 2026 | Volume: 11 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 303-308
Received on: 16/06/2026
Revised on: 18/07/2026
Accepted on: 13/08/2026
Published on: 18/10/2026
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Shyamji Shukla( 2026).
Phytochemical screening and antibacterial activity of Antigonon leptopus
. International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences, 11( 5), 303-308.
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Abstract
The rise of antibiotic-resistant infections has renewed scientific interest in plant-based antimicrobial alternatives. Antigonon leptopus Hook & Arn. (family Polygonaceae), known as coral vine or Mexican creeper, has a well-documented history in traditional medicine for managing infections, inflammation, and digestive disorders, yet rigorous scientific evidence remains scarce. This study conducted systematic phytochemical screening and evaluated the antibacterial potential of its leaf extracts against Escherichia coli. Three solvent extracts-ethanolic, methanolic, and aqueous -were prepared by maceration and filtered through Whatman No. 1 filter paper. Phytochemical screening followed standard qualitative protocols to detect alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, sterols, and glycosides. Antibacterial activity was assessed by agar well diffusion assay at 20 µl, 40 µl, and 60 µl, with zones of inhibition recorded after 24-hour incubation at 27°C. Phytochemical analysis revealed the ethanolic extract was rich in saponins and terpenoids, the methanolic extract contained predominantly tannins, and the aqueous extract was abundant in sterols and glycosides; alkaloids and flavonoids were absent across all systems. Antibacterial results showed the ethanolic extract produced the greatest inhibitory effect against E. coli, with a zone of inhibition of 14 mm at 60 µl, followed by the methanolic extract at 12 mm. The aqueous extract showed no measurable activity. These findings confirm that A. leptopus leaves harbour biologically active compounds with genuine antibacterial properties, strongest in the ethanolic fraction, lending scientific credibility to its traditional uses and highlighting its potential for natural antimicrobial drug development.
Keywords
Antigonon leptopus, Phytochemical screening, Antibacterial activity, Zone of inhibition, Leaves.
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© The Author(s) 2026. This article is published by International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (creativecommons.org), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
