Abstract
Crude methanol extracts of fifteen ethnopharmacological plants were prepared by simple maceration procedure for studying their phytochemical and antimicrobial properties, cytotoxicity, and protein kinase inhibition activity. Among all, the maximum gallic acid equivalent (GAE) total phenolic content and quercetin equivalent (QE) total flavonoid content were found in
Ficus carica
(8.6 and 7.1 μg/mg DW, respectively)
. F. carica
also exhibited significantly higher (
P
< 0.05) antiradical (DPPH) potential (IC
50
= 12.6 μg/mL).
Mentha piperita
exhibited maximum total antioxidant capacity and reduction potential when expressed as equivalent to ascorbic acid (12.82 and 5.11 μg/mg DW, respectively).
Ricinis communis
was found more susceptible to
Staphylococcus aureus,
followed by
Cannabis sativa
against
Salmonella typhi
and
Calotropis procera
against
Micrococcus luteus
. A remarkable degree of cytotoxicity against brine shrimps was exhibited by
Euphorbia helioscopia,
with 50% mortality at 57.74 μg/mL.
Convolvulus arvensis
showed noteworthy protein kinase inhibitory activity with 20 ± 1.2 mm zone of inhibition (ZOI) analyzed by
Streptomyces hyphae
formation inhibition. It is concluded that methanol extracts of
F. carica
and
M. piperita
can be considered as potential sources of antioxidants, while
R. communis
,
E. helioscopia
and
C. arvensis
could provide potent antimicrobial and cytotoxic agent and oncogenic kinase inhibitor, respectively.