Tridax procumbens Linn belongs to the family Compositae. The extracts of Tridax procumbens have been reported to have various pharmacological, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory and antiprotozoal effects. The leaves and flowers extracts of Tridax procumbens were screened phytochemically and the results revealed the presence of tannin, saponin, alkaloids, protein, diterpenes, phenol, cardial glycosides, amino acids and coumarins. The ethanol flower extract analysed by GC-MS for active biomolecules revealed the presence of bioactive molecules such as noctocosane, Stearic acid, Myristic acid, Urcic acid, Oliec acid and n-Decyltetracosa. These compounds can be used as softening agents in cosmetics, pharamaceutics, and food industry as preservatives. The antibacterial activity was carried out by agar well diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi and Bacillus cereus. The ethanol flower extract showed comparatively effective inhibition against the test organisms. Antifungal activity was carried out for 3 test fungi species (Aspergillus niger, Penicillium Sp. and Rhizopus Sp.). The efficiency of the extracts to increase the shelf life of tomatoes was performed and our results confirms that the ethanol flower extract of Tridax procumbens has extended shelf life of tomatoes when ethanol flower extract is coated on it. Our study reveals that the narrow spectrum preparations like leaves and flower extracts of Tridax procumbens can be considered as promising source of antimicrobial compound, which can be useful for successful therapy against multidrug resistant pathogens, without any side effects. It can further be recommended as a herbal food preservative which is nontoxic and more economic.
