Extraction procedure was standardized and for the soluble, glycoside, and wall-bound fractions of phenolic acids from Vetiveria zizanioides. The water soluble alkaline extract which represents the cell wall-bound fraction contained the highest amount of phenolic acids (2.62？±？1.2？μM/g fwt GA equivalents). Increased phenolic content in the cell wall indicates more lignin deposition which has an important role in plant defense and stress mitigation. Antioxidant property expressed as percentage TEAC value obtained by ABTS assay was correlated with the amount of phenolic acids and showed a Pearson's coefficient 0.988 (significant at 0.01 level). The compounds p-coumaric acid, p-dihydroxybenzoic acid, and ferulic acid were detected in the acidic extracts by HPLC analysis. The plant extracts exhibited considerable antimicrobial activity against tested bacterial and fungal strains. 1. Introduction Natural products play a dominant role in pharmaceutical industry, and systematic investigation of natural resources for the discovery of new drug molecules is the primary objective for bioprospection programs [1]. There is about 127 natural products or natural-product-derived compounds currently undergoing clinical trials [2]. The common phenylpropanoid pathway is an essential pathway of secondary metabolism leading to a diverse range of compounds that are important both to the physiology of plants and to the many applications of plant natural products from lignin to pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals [3, 4]. Microbial resistance to antibiotics is a global concern covering all known classes of natural and synthetic compounds fueling the need for novel antimicrobials of which plants are a potent source [5–7]. Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash (Poaceae), a perennial grass grows abundantly in the Gangetic plains of India and holds an esteemed place in the Indian mythology and traditional medicinal practices [8]. It is used as a relaxant for the nervous system, lowers heart rate, normalizes breathing, has anti-inflammatory properties, controls diabetes, and cures skin diseases [9]. The root decoction of the plant is used as an analgesic and, in inflammation, as an anthelmintic [10], antipyretic [11], and antioxidant [12], and as an antituberculosis agent [13]. The leaf juice is used as anthelmintic [14] and applied as paste for relief from rheumatism, lumbago, and sprain [15]. Cultivation of Vetiver grass has ecological advantages as it decreases soil erosion and is recommended in conservation studies [16]. Leaves of the plant are also used as raw material for handicraft
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