Evaluation of Antibacterial and Antimycotic Potency of Euphorbia tirucalli (L.) Growing Around Purano Bazar, Dharan, Sunsari, Nepal

Over thousands of years, people have used plants to heal a variety of ailments and infections. Euphorbia tirucalli, is a valuable member of the Euphobiaceae family, having a wide range of phytochemicals and potential applications in medicine. This in-vitro study was carried out to determine its efficacy against different types of disease and infection-causing bacteria and fungi. The plant's aerial portions were collected from Purano Bazar in Dharan City of Sunsari District in Province 1 of Nepal, and dried in a cabinet dryer at 30°C. The plant extracts were prepared using the Soxhlet apparatus and a range of solvents such as water, methanol, and chloroform. The plant extracts were collected and stored at 4°C for subsequent examination. The physiologically active components of Euphorbia tirucalli that provide antimicrobial properties were investigated. The total tannin, phenolic, and flavonoid contents were measured. The agar-well diffusion method was utilized to assess antibacterial and antifungal activity at different extract concentrations (0.3 and 0.6g/ml). Bacteria (S. pyogenes, S. aureus, E. coli, S. typhi, and P. aeruginosa) and fungi (A. niger and C. albicans) were used in the experiment. The lowest inhibitory concentration measured was 3.11mg/ml. The methanolic extract had effective antibacterial activity against S. typhi, with zones of inhibition (ZOI) of 21.5 and 33.16 mm. Pseudomonas had the lowest inhibition zone, measuring 12.83 mm and 17.17 mm. The aqueous and chloroform extract, on the other hand, showed no inhibition zones against fungi and bacteria. Only the methanol extract was effective against Aspergillus niger (ZOI: 11.19 mm and 9.5 mm) and Candida albicans (ZOI: 29.17 mm and 21.50 mm). No ZOI was found in chloroform and aqueous extracts. Variances in bioactive compounds and solvents could explain these variances in Euphorbia tirucalli's antimicrobial activity. The insights gained via further inquiry and analysis could be useful in the future for creating medications to combat different infections.