Phytochemicals analysis and antibacterial activity of leaf extracts of Populus ciliata Wall. ex Royle

This research deals with the study of phytochemical analysis of methanol and chloroform extracts of Populus ciliata leaves and their further screening for antibacterial activity. The chemical profile of P. ciliata leaves revealed that both leaf extracts were rich in fatty acid esters, hydrocarbons and steroids. Methanol and chloroform extracts of P. ciliata leaves were observed with 44 and 47 major and minor phytocompounds, respectively. Major phytocompounds observed in the methanol extract were 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoic acid, (Z, Z, Z)-(18.39%), l-(+)-ascorbic acid 2, 6-dihexadecanoate (13.95%), 9, 12-octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)-(7.41%) and 3, 6-dimethoxy-2, 5-dinitrobenzaldehyde oxime (5.20%) whereas, chloroform extract was dominating with l-(+)-ascorbic acid 2, 6-dihexadecanoate (19.67%), 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoic acid, (Z, Z, Z)-(18.91%), 9, 12-octadecadienoic acid (Z, Z)-(8.64%), ethyl 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoate (7.80%) and hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester (5.05%). This study first time confirmed the antibacterial property of P. ciliata leaves with higher antibacterial activity of the methanol leaf extract against selected bacterial strains. Among all bacterial strains, methanol extract was found more effective against Gram negative bacteria (E. coli and P. aeruginosa; MIC-0.78 mg/ml) than Gram positive bacteria, whereas the chloroform extract showed maximum activity against E. coli (MIC-1.56 mg/ml).