Comparative study of phytochemical antibacterial activity, antifungal and antioxidant activity Hibiscus cannabinus using various solvents

Kenaf, Hibiscus cannabinus, is a plant in the Malvaceae family. Hibiscus cannabinus belongs to the genus Hibiscus and is probably native to Southern Asia, In Ayurvedic medicine, the leaves are used in the treatment of dysentry and bilious, blood and throat disorders. The powdered leaves are applied to Guinea worms in Africa. The Hibiscus cannabinus leaves extract of four solvents such as hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol were used in the present study. The soxhlet extractor was employed in this study. The plants were screened for the presence of phytochemicals and their effect on 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl radical (DPPH) was used to determine their free radical scavenging activity. Phytochemical screening of the plant showed the presence of glycosides, steroids, falvonoids, terpenoids and tannins except alkaloids. Concentration of the plant extract required for 50% inhibition of DPPH radical scavenging effect was recorded as 0.343 mg/ml, 0.571 mg/ml, 0.325 mg/ml, 0.036 mg/ml for hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol. The antimicrobial activity of Hibiscus cannabinus leaves shows a positive result in the sample by which it is extracted using chloroform as a solvent.