Astragalus pelecinus aerial parts have been utilized in the Palestinian traditional medicine for healing of the infected wounds. This study aimed to screen the phytochemical compounds in the acetone, ethanol, methanol and aqueous extracts, evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the plant aerial parts. The antioxidant property of extract was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity method. Detection of antimicrobial activity and determination of minimal inhibitory concentration of aqueous and methanolic extracts of A. pelecinus were performed using broth micro-dilution method. The antimicrobial activity was examined against American Type Culture Collection Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as against Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and a clinical isolate of Candida albicans. The results showed that A. pelecinus methanol, acetone, aqueous, and ethanolic extracts contain proteins, carbohydrates, phenolic tannins, glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids and alkaloids. Revealed that, this plant had antioxidant activity (IC50= 70.78 ±1.12 μg/ml) and its aqueous extract possessed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans, the MIC values were 33, 33, 33, 66 and 33 mg/ml, respectively. On the other hand, methanol extract exhibited antimicrobial effect against Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA and Escherichia coli, where the MIC value was 51.5 mg/ml in all cases. The present study showed that Astragalus pelecinus plant had biological active molecules which explained its traditional use in healing of infected wounds. A. pelecinus can provide natural source of antimicrobial and antioxidant medications and may be useful in preventing various dangerous diseases including diabetes mellitus, cardiac diseases and cancer.

Title

Journal of Materials and Environmental Sciences

Publisher

University of Mohammed Premier Oujda Morocco

Publisher Country

Morocco

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

8

Year

2017

Pages

1492-1497