Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of seedlings of Rumex vesicarius L. (Polygonaceae)

The present work has been carried out to investigate both the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of seedlings grown in vitro and in vivo. Only ethanol extract of in vitro germinated seedlings on solidified Murashige and Skoog (MS) hormone free medium, had antibacterial activity. Activity was high in case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae (inhibition zones = 55.00 ± 0.00, 55.00 ± 0.00 and 26.25 ± 1.58 mm; activity index = 4.15, 1.67 and 0.48, respectively). The effect was moderate in case of Staphylococcus aureus (inhibition zone = 15.75 ± 1.58 mm, activity index = 1.67). The extract had no effect against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes. Total antioxidant activity studies (GAEs in ppm) showed that 20 days old in vivo grown seedlings were highest in total antioxidants (1810.00 ± 60.12), followed by 30 days old in vivo grown seedlings (1133.13 ± 55.35). Results of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity showed that the least IC50 in mg/ml was obtained using 30 days old in vivo grown seedlings extract (IC50 = 1.16 ± 0.02), followed by 20 days old in vivo grown seedlings extract (IC50 = 1.26 ± 0.02). The study shows the possibility of producing biological activity from early developmental growth stages of Rumex vesicarius.   Key words: Biological activity, in vitro seedlings, in vivo seedlings, anthraquinones, phenolics, flavonoids.