Pterocarpus indicus Willd: A Lesser Known Tree Species of Medicinal Importance

Barks of Pterocarpus indicus were extracted with the organic solvents viz., methanol and acetone and yielded the extract of 35.5 mg/g in methanol and 27 mg/g in acetone. Among the phyto constituents, the terpenoids content was found to be maximum with 1.78 mg/g and the steroids with 1.404 mg/gm in methanol extracts. Secondary metabolites such as Campesterol, Cyclopropane, 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl were identified through GCMS analysis which were reported to have antibacterial and antifungal activities, the other secondary metabolites like Halfordinol and Butylated hydroxytoluene were also identified and are known to have high antioxidant property. The antibacterial activity of the methanol and acetone extracts of P. indicus were evaluated against various human pathogens such as Bacillus subtilis (Bs) Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) (gram positive bacteria) and a gram negative bacterium, Escherichia coli (Ec). The methanol extract of bark of P. Indicus gave promising result than the acetone extract. The bark extract was used against the plant pathogenic fungus, Nigrospora oryzea and found to inhibit the growth of the organism. Therefore, it is suggested that indepth pharmacological study would evident for commercial utilisation of P. indicus as a potential source of medicinal tree for the treatment of various infectious diseases.