Elemental analysis and anticariogenic activity of flowers of Calycopteris floribunda, Humboldtia brunonis and Kydia calycina

The present study was conducted in order to estimate the content of elements and to determine the anticariogenic efficacy of flowers of Calycopteris floribunda (Roxb.) Poiret (Combretaceae), Humboldtia brunonis Wall (Caesalpiniaceae) and Kydia calycina Roxb. (Malvaceae). The major and minor elements in powdered flowers were estimated by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Anticariogenic potential of petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol extracts of flowers was tested against 4 isolates of Streptococcus mutans by agar well diffusion method. Flower of K. calycina was found to contain high quantity of most of the elements estimated. The content of potassium and sodium was highest and least respectively among major elements. Among the minor elements, the content of iron and chromium was high and low respectively. The flower extracts were found to inhibit all four isolates of S. mutans. Among flowers, extracts of C. floribunda exhibited highest inhibition of test bacteria followed by K. calycina and H. brunonis. The flowers selected in the present study are shown to be a good source of various elements. Inhibition of cariogenic bacteria could be due to the presence of phytoconstituents present in flower extracts.