Celosia argentea is a herbaceous plant grow locally in various region in the member of Amaranthaceae family. Plant bears simple and spirally arranged leaves, often pinkish or white flowers while fruits are globular and seeds are black. Traditional medicine herb used for treatment of fatigue, atherosclerosis, leucorrhoea and osteoporosis. Its seeds have been used for removing “liver heat” improving eyesight, clearing wind heat and as an anti- inflammatory agent the chemical constituents of this plant include mainly flavonoids, also used as ornamental plant.
The plant is an important medicinal leaf antidiarrhoeal value and it’s different part used in Ayurvedic medicine. Sequential extraction carried out by using solvent viz. petroleum ether, ethanol and aqueous from leaf, root and seed of the plant were investigated for preliminary phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial activity. Phytochemicals are secondary metabolites produced by all plants in which some has medicinal uses. An in vitro antimicrobial activity and phytochemical analysis of various extracts of Celosia argentea viz. petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and aqueous extracts were carried out. A total of 5 microorganisms (4 bacteria and 2 fungal strains) were used for antimicrobial activity. The extracts were screened for the presence of Phytochemicals and their effect on various microbes especially fungi such as Candida albicans (only single strain) and bacteria such as E.coli, Staphylococcus aurus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella tophi, etc. Aqueous extract showed moderate inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus (14mm). All the 3 extract showed a minimal antifungal activity when compared to antibacterial activity. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of Alkaloids, Phytosterol, Fixed oils, Saponins and Phenolic compounds.
