Phytochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial analysis of Bambusa Tulda roxb. and Bambusa nutans wall. Ex munro

Bamboo shoots possess high nutritional contents and medicinal properties. Around 53 species of bamboos are disseminated throughout the country between elevations varying from 70m-4,000 masl. The aim of this study is to conduct phytochemical evaluation, quantitative analysis with assessment of antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of two Nepalese Bambusa species by the application of different analytical methods. Methanol seems to be the better solvent than ethanol for extraction of compounds from leaves and stem of B. tulda and B. nutans. Spectrophotometric assay was utilized to measure the amount of phenolic, flavonoid, carbohydrate, proteins and chlorophylls. Antimicrobial efficiency of extracts was analysed against Streptococcus mutans, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans using agar well diffusion method. Methanolic stem extract of B. nutans exhibited the highest antioxidant activity using DPPH essay with IC₅₀ value of 384.14 μg/ml alongside highest antibacterial activity with 7.5 mg/ml of extract concentration; whereas, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 3.75 mg/ml. Streptococcus sps. was the most susceptible bacterial strain. None of the extracts inhibited efficacy against Candida albicans. In conclusion, B. tulda and B. nutans contain phytosterols and phenols which inhibit the growth of Streptococcus sps. and also, it can be used in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals due to antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.