Antimicrobial, antioxidant and antibiofilm activities of polysaccharides extracted from Moringa oleifera leaves

Abstract

Moringa oleifera is one of the world's most significant therapeutic plants, it is rich in many phytochemicals including polysaccharides. Natural polysaccharides have a wide range of beneficial therapeutic and health-promoting properties. The current study investigated the antimicrobial in a 96-well plate, antioxidant by DPPH scavenging assay and antibiofilm activities of both polysaccharides (MOLPs) extracted from M. oleifera leaves and crude extracts of leaves (MOLCEs) by different solvents (methanol, 70% ethanol, ethyl acetate, and hot distilled water (80°C)). Results revealed that the antimicrobial activity of MOLPs against S. aureus, B. Subtilis, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa at 500g/ml was 72.7%, 73.1%, 75.2%, and 74.4%, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of hot water crude extract ranged from 67% to 71% while other crude extracts were less effective. DPPH scavenging activity of MOLPs and MOLCEs was concentration-dependent, at 500 g/ml it was 76.56% and 81.87% for MOLPs and hot aqueous crude extract, respectively. Other crude extracts were less effective. The biofilm inhibitory activity of MOLPs against S. aureus and E. coli was 62.56% and 65.65%, respectively while was 55.5% and 57.42% for hot water crude extract. Other MOLCEs by organic solvents (methanol, 70% ethanol and ethyl acetate) showed low inhibitory activity. These results confirmed the importance of polysaccharides as a bioactive agent that can be used as a promising therapeutic agent.

Keywords

• plant polysaccharides
• moringa oleifera
• antioxidant
• antimicrobial
• antibiofilm.