Table Of ContentAntimicrobial and Antioxidant activities of 
Arnebia benthamii (Wall ex. G. Don Johnston) - A 
Critically Endangered Medicinal plant of Kashmir 
 
 
Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the 
Requirements for the Award of Degree of  
 
MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (M.PHIL.) 
IN  
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 
 
By 
Nowsheen Shameem Nowsheri 
M.Sc. 
 
Under the Joint Supervision of 
 
Dr. Rabia Hamid       Prof. Azra N. Kamili 
Sr. Assistant Professor      Head/ Director 
Department of Biochemistry             Department of Environmental Science/CORD 
(Co-Supervisor)    (Supervisor) 
 
 
POST GRADUATE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE 
Faculty of Physical and Material Sciences  
University of Kashmir 
NAAC Accreditation ‘A’ 
Srinagar-190006, J&K 
2012
Phone: Office: 0194-2420078, 2420405, Ext. 2155   
email: [email protected]; 
[email protected] 
 
Centre of Research for Development 
University of Kashmir, Srinagar -190006 
 
 
               
No.  
Dated:  
 
Certificate
 
  Certified that the M.Phil Dissertation entitled “Antimicrobial and 
Antioxidant activities of Arnebia benthamii (Wall ex. G. Don Johnston) - A 
Critically Endangered Medicinal plant of Kashmir” substantiates the original 
work carried out by Ms. Nowsheen Shameem Nowsheri for submission as partial 
fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Master of Philosophy (M. Phil) 
Degree  in  Environmental  Science.  This  study  has  been  carried  out  under  our 
supervision  for  the  period  required  under  statutes  and  the  same  has  not  been 
submitted elsewhere for any degree before. 
We deem it fit for submission. 
 
 
 
Dr. Rabia Hamid  Prof. Azra N. Kamili 
Sr. Assistant Professor  Head/ Director 
Department of Biochemistry   Department of Environmental Science/CORD 
University of Kashmir Srinagar.  University of Kashmir, Srinagar. 
(Co-Supervisor)  (Supervisor) 
 
 
 
Prof. Azra N. Kamili 
Head/ Director 
Department of Environmental Science/CORD 
University of Kashmir, Srinagar. 
i
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
 
BISMILLAH-IR-RAHMAN-IR-RAHEEM 
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His 
Light  is  as  if  there  were  a  Niche  And  within  it  a  Lamp:  The  Lamp 
enclosed in glass; The glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed  
tree, an Olive, Neither of the East nor of the West, Whose oil is well-nigh 
luminous,  Though  fire  scarce  touched  it:  Light  upon  Light!  Allah  do 
guide whom He will to His light: Allah do set forth parables for men: And 
Allah do know all things. (Lit is such a light) in houses, which Allah have 
permitted to be raised to honour; For the celebration, in them, of his 
name: In them is He glorified in the mornings And in the evenings, (again 
and again). (Surah ; Al Nur Verse 35 &36) 
All  praises  and  thanks  to  Almighty  Allah  (most  merciful  and 
beneficent) whose grace and special succour enabled me to successfully 
complete M. Phil programme with great zeal and zest. 
I  take  this  opportunity  to  express  my  enthusiastic  gratitude  and 
indebtedness to acknowledge my guide  Prof. Azra N. Kamili, H.O.D. 
Department of Environmental Science / Director CORD University of 
Kashmir, for believing in me and suggesting me the work of vital interest. 
This study was conducted at her initiative and under her supervision. I 
am thankful to her for her guidance, invaluable suggestions, enthusiastic 
encouragement and necessary research facilities during the course of my 
studies. I must confess that without her constant endeavour in guiding me 
in completion of this work, it could not have been completed successfully. 
I wish to pay due and respectful obeisance and indebtedness to Dr. 
Rabia  Hamid,  Sr.  Assistant  Professor  Department  of  Biochemistry 
ii
University  of  Kashmir  for  her  guidance,  kind  supervision,  continued 
encouragement,  generous  assistance,  timely  cooperation  valuable 
suggestions and constructive Criticism during the course of present study. 
I also express my profound gratitude Prof. A. R. Yousuf (former 
Dean  Academic  Affairs),  Prof.  A.  K.  Pandit  (CORD/Environmental 
Science)  and  Prof.  G.  A.  Bhat  (CORD/Environmental  Science),  Dr. 
Ruqeya (Asst. Prof. CORD) for their moral support, useful suggestions 
and continuous encouragement all through the course of study. 
My sincere thanks also go to other technical and non-technical staff 
members of CORD especially Mrs. Bilquis Qadri (Scientific Officer), Ms. 
Rubiya Dar (Sr. Technical Assistant), Ms. Sumaira Tyub (Sr. Technical 
Assistant) and Mr. Javeed A. Javeed (Jr. Technical Assistant) for their 
cooperation timely help and whole hearted support. 
The successful completion of the research programme was possible 
only because of the active cooperation of my friends and colleagues. I 
would like to  put on record my thanks to Scholars of CORD in general 
and  Microbiology  in  particular    namely  Suhaib  A.  Bandh,  Javid  A. 
Parray, Sana shafi, Humera Nissa, Samira Saleem and Bashir A. Lone 
who rendered full cooperation and support which helped me to sustain 
through  long  hours  of  creation  and  completion  of  this  research 
programme.  I  am  also  thankful  to  my  friends  Uzma,  Navish,  Sana, 
Afeefa and Habiba for their help and fruitful guidance. 
I fail in my duty if I don’t make a special mention here of my parents 
and my sisters (Shumail and Zufishan) and other family members who 
encouraged and cooperated with me in several capacities throughout the 
research work. 
 
Nowsheen Shameem 
iii
CONTENTS 
DESCRIPTION 
Page No. 
CERTIFICATE 
i 
AKNOWLEGMENTS 
ii-iii 
CONTENTS 
iv-v 
LIST OF TABLES 
vi 
LIST OF FIGURES 
vii-viii 
LIST OF PHOTOPLATES 
ix 
ABBREVATIONS 
x 
ABSTRACT 
xi-xiv 
1. INTRODUCTION  1-15 
 
1.1.  Phyto chemicals 
1.2.  Mechanism of action 
1.3.  Major  groups  of  Antimicrobial  and  Antioxidant 
substances 
1.4.  Plant Profile 
16-37 
2.  REVIEW OF LITERATURE 
2.1. Phytochemistry 
2.2.   Antimicrobial activity 
2.3. Antioxidant activity 
 
   
   
iv
3. MATERIAL AND METHODS  38-48 
3.1. Instrumentation 
3.2. Chemicals and Reagents  
3.3. Sampling 
 
3.4. Preliminary Phyto-chemical Qualitative screening 
3.5. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing 
3.6. Anti-oxidant activity 
3.7. Statistical Analysis 
4.  RESULTS  49-75 
 
4.1. Phytochemical screening 
4.2. Antimicrobial activity 
    4.3. Antibacterial Activity 
4.4. Antifungal activity 
 
4.5. MIC and MBC determination 
4.6. Antioxidant activity 
5.  DIS CUSSIONS  76-92 
5.1. Phytochemical screening  
5.2. Antibacterial activity 
 
5.3. Antifungal activity 
 
5.4. MIC and MBC determination 
5.5. Antioxidant activity 
6. CONCLUSIONS  93-94 
 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY  95-121 
          APPENDIX  122 
 
 
 
 
 
 
v
List of Tables 
Table  Page 
Description 
No  No. 
1.  Extraction yield and macroscopic characteristics of the crude  58 
extracts  of  aerial  parts  (AP)  and  root  parts  (RP)  of  A. 
benthamii L. 
2.  Qualitative  analysis  for  various  secondary  metabolites  in  59 
aerial part (AP) extracts of A. benthamii L. 
3.  Qualitative analysis for various secondary metabolites in root  59 
part (RP) extracts of A. benthamii L. 
4.  Antibacterial  activity  of  different  solvent  extracts  of  aerial  60 
parts (250µg/ml) of A. benthamii L. 
5.  Antibacterial activity of different solvents of root part (RP)  61 
extracts (250µg/ml) of A. benthamii L. 
6.  Antifungal activity of different solvent extracts (400µg/ml) of  62 
Aerial parts (AP) of A. benthamii L. 
7.  Antifungal activity of different solvent extracts (400µg/ml) of  63 
root (RP) extracts of A. benthamii L. 
8.  MIC & MBC of the extracts of aerial/root part extracts of A.  64 
benthamii against tested bacterial strains. 
9.  Radical Scavenging activities of extracts of AP & RP extracts  65 
of A. benthamii as measured by DPPH method at different 
concentrations. 
10.  Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of extracts of aerial &  66 
root parts of   A. benthamii measured by riboflavin photo-
oxidation  method  at  different  concentrations  presented  as 
%age of inhibition rate. 
11.  DNA  Damage  assay  of  extracts  of  aerial/root  parts  of  A.  67 
benthamii  measured  by  Hydroxyl  scavenging  method  at 
different concentrations presented as %age of inhibition rate. 
12.  Lipid peroxidation assay of extracts of aerial/root parts of A.  68 
benthamii  measured  by  TBAS  method  at  different 
concentrations presented as %age inhibition rate. 
vi
LIST OF FIGURES 
Fig.  Description  Page 
No  No. 
1  Standard Gallic acid curve for estimating (TP) Total phenolic  69 
  content Gallic Acid EQ (µg/mg)  
2  Total Phenolic (TP) Content of the extracts of Aerial parts (AP)  69 
and Root parts (RP) of A. benthamii L. 
3  Comparative analysis of antibacterial activity of aerial and root  70 
part extracts of A. benthamii L. against Shigella flexnerii. 
4  Comparative analysis of antibacterial activity of aerial and root  70 
part extracts of A. benthamii L. against Staphylococus aureus. 
5  Comparative analysis of antibacterial activity of aerial and root  70 
part  extracts  of  A.  benthamii  L.  against  Psuedomonas 
aeruoginosa. 
6  Comparative analysis of antibacterial activity of aerial and root  71 
part extracts of A. benthamii L. against Escherchia coli. 
7  Comparative analysis of antibacterial activity of aerial and root  71 
part extracts of A. benthamii L. against Klebseilla pneumonia. 
8  Comparative analysis of antibacterial activity of aerial and root  71 
part  extracts  of  A.  benthamii  L.  against  Salmonella 
typhimurium. 
9  Comparative analysis of antibacterial activity of aerial and root  72 
part extracts of A. benthamii L. against Asperigillus flavus. 
10  Comparative analysis of antifungal activity of aerial and root  72 
part extracts of A. benthamii L. against Acremonium spp. 
11  Comparative analysis of antifungal activity of aerial and root  73 
part extracts of A. benthamii L. against Candida albicans. 
12  Comparative analysis of antifungal activity of aerial and root  73 
part extracts of A. benthamii L. against Candida krusie. 
vii
13  Comparative analysis of antifungal activity of aerial and root  73 
part extracts of A. benthamii L. Against Aspergilus versicolor. 
14  Comparative  analysis  of  radical  Scavenging  activities  of  74 
extracts of aerial and rootparts of A. benthamii L. w.r.t. control 
as  measured  by  DPPH  method  at  higher  concentrations 
(300µg) presented as %age of inhibition rate. 
15  Comparative analysis of antioxidant activity of extracts of aerial  74 
and root parts of A. benthamii L. w .r. t. control measured by 
superoxide  dismutase  (SOD)  assay  method  at  higher 
concentrations  (300µg)  are  presented  as  %age  of  inhibition 
rate. 
16  Comparative  analysis  of  DNA  Damage  assay  of  extracts  of  75 
aerial and root parts of A. benthamii L. w.r.t. control measured 
by  Hydroxyl  scavenging  method  at  higher  concentrations 
(300µg) are presented as %age inhibition rate. 
17  Comparative analysis of Lipid per-oxidation assay of extracts of  75 
aerial and root parts of A. benthamii L. w. r. t. Control measured 
by  TBARS  method  at  higher  concentrations  (300µg)  are 
presented as %age inhibition rate. 
 
   
 
 
 
viii
List of plates 
Plate 
Description 
No 
Phytochemical screening Tests of extracts of Arnebia benthamii L. 
1. 
A =Tests for Alkaloids; B= Tests for Phenols 
C= Tests for Terpenoids; D= Tests for Flavonoids 
Antibacterial activity of aerial part extracts of Arnebia benthamii L. 
against 
2. 
A =Shigella flexnerii; B= Psuedomonas aeruoginosa 
C= Klebseilla pneumonia; D= Escherchia coli 
Antibacterial activity of root extracts of Arnebia benthamii L. 
against 
3. 
A = Salmonella typhimurium; B= Shigella flexnerii 
C= Staphylococcus aureus; D= Escherchia coli 
Antifungal activity of aerial part extracts of Arnebia benthamii L. 
against 
4. 
A = Acremonium spp; B= Aspergillus flavus 
C= Candida parapsilosis; D= Candida kruesie 
Antifungal activity of root extracts of Arnebia benthamii L. against 
5. 
A = Candida albicans; B= Acremonium spp 
C= Candida parapsilosis; D= Aspergillus versicolor 
 
 
ix
Description:Allah do guide whom He will to His light: Allah do set forth parables for men: And. Allah do know all things. (Lit is such a light) in houses, which Allah have  All praises and thanks to Almighty Allah (most merciful and .. Aconitum heterophyllum, Podophyllum hexandrum, Inula racemosa, Taxus baccat