PHYTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF STEREOSPERNUM KUNTHIANUM PODS EXTRACT

Medicinal plants remain an important source of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential, particularly in the development of antimicrobial agents. Stereospernum kunthinum is a tropical plant traditionally used in folk medicine for the treatment of various infections and inflammatory conditions. This study investigated the phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activities of pod extracts of Stereospernum kunthinum. The pods were collected, dried, pulverized, and extracted using appropriate solvents. Qualitative phytochemical screening was carried out to identify the presence of bioactive compounds, while antimicrobial activity was evaluated against selected pathogenic microorganisms using standard microbiological techniques. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, glycosides, and phenolic compounds. Antimicrobial assays demonstrated that the pod extracts exhibited inhibitory effects against the tested microorganisms, with varying degrees of sensitivity depending on the extract concentration and organism. These findings suggest that Stereospernum kunthinum pods contain bioactive compounds with significant antimicrobial potential, supporting their traditional medicinal use. The study highlights the potential of Stereospernum kunthinum as a source of natural antimicrobial agents and provides a scientific basis for further pharmacological and toxicological investigations.