Phytochemical screening and antibacterial evaluation of stem bark of Mallotus philippinensis var. Tomentosus

Mallotus philippinensis var. Tomentosus is a medicinal plant, which was tested against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Bacillus subtilis. Phytochemical screening of the stem bark of M. philippinensis indicates the presence of secondary metabolites. From the results obtained, eluted fractions of chloroform and methanolic extracts showed excellent zone of inhibition comparable to the standard drug used. However, the hexane extract did not show any appreciable activity. The results of the study showed the justification of the use of the plant against the bacterial pathogens.