Studies on the phytochemistry and bioefficacy of industrial crops - Coffea canephora and Gravillearobusta from Kolli hills

Abstract

Industrial crops are used only for their potential plant parts in general, neglecting the other parts, which are either wasted or underutilized. If proper study is conducted on the neglected parts of industrially significant plants, it might result in further exploitation of the same in other allied industries. Hence, to know the potency of leaves, which are neglected parts, of the plants of Coffea canephora L. Linden and Gravillea robusta A. Cunn. Ex. R. Br. were studied for their phytochemistry, antibacterial, antioxidant, larvicidal and pesticidal activities. The plant leaves were collected from Kolli Hills of Tamil Nadu, India. Acetone, Chloroform, Ethyl acetate and Methanolic extracts of the leaves of the plants were studied for their antibacterial efficacy through micro broth dilution method, antioxidant property using DPPH free radical scavenging assay, larvicidal activity using the larvae of Artemia salina and pesticidal potency using the storage pest, Sitophilus oryzae. The plant Coffea canephora has shown the presence of Tannin and Steroid and the plant Gravillea robusta, the presence of flavonoid and steroid. The plant Coffea canephora has showed better antibacterial activity when compared with Gravillea robusta. Similarly, acetone extract of Coffea canephora showed better antioxidant ability. Mortality of 100% was recorded against Artemia salina and Sitophilus oryzae for all types of extracts of the plants studied. The study suggests the plant Coffea canephora as a potential member which can be exploited as an antibacterial agent. The study also suggests that the plants studied can be utilized in controlling the storage pest, Sitophilus oryzae.