Pharmacognostic, antimicrobial and mosquito repellent properties of Acalypha fimbriata (Euphorbiaceae) leaf extract

Abstract

The pharmacognostic, phytochemical, antimicrobial and mosquito repellent properties of the leaf extract of Acalypha fimbriata (Euphorbiaceae) are reported. The pharmacognostic study revealed the transverse section of the leaf has a dorsiventral nature and diagnostic features such as paracytic stomata, multicellular, uniseriate covering trichomes, calcium oxalates of crystal type and starch grains of oval shape. Physicochemical analysis and quantitative leaf microscopy gave distinctive values of interest. The phytochemical screening of the crude extracts and fractions revealed the presence of alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, reducing sugars and phenols. The quantitative estimation of the secondary metabolites of the methanolic extract showed the highest level to be tannins (299.96 ± 0.00 mg/g) compared with phenols (209.963 ± 0.00 mg/g) and flavonoids (162.97 ± 0.00 mg/g). GC-MS analysis identified trans-4-tetradecene (35.18%) as the major constituent. The crude extract and fractions showed a significant broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. The repellency study of the leaf oil of Acalypha fimbriata against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes showed significant differences in repellency (p < 0.05). This study confirms that the leaves of Acalypha fimbriata contain potential antimicrobial phytochemicals and oil for mosquito repellent.

Keywords:

• Acalypha fimbriata
• phytochemical
• antimicrobial
• repellent
• mosquitoes

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.