IN VITRO BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY EVALUATION OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF MELICA UNIFLORA LEAVES

Abstract

Although Melica uniflora is part of the omnivore and herbivore animal diets, there are not enough studies. The aim of the study is to determine the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity also total phenolic and total flavonoid amount of ethanolic extract of M. uniflora leaves from Yenice Forest, Karabük province, Turkey. In the study, we used the disk diffusion method to evaluate the antimicrobial activity with eight bacteria and two yeast strains; DPPH free radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing antioxidant power analysis were used determine antioxidant activity. Folin-Ciocalteu method for determining the total phenolic amount and AlCl3 method for the total flavonoid content of the extract were tested. Mean diameters of inhibition zones (IZD) of the bacteria were found in the range of 19.02 mm to 26.32 mm. This value was measured as 16.43 mm and 21.38mm for yeasts. The total antioxidant activity value of the extract was calculated at 4.54 mg AAE/g. The IC50 value was calculated 18.798 mg/mL for DPPH free radical scavenging activity. The FRAP value indicated that the reducing power of 1 gram of sample was equivalent to 3.33 µmol of Trolox. The total phenolic content of ethanol extract of M. uniflora leaves was determined as 0.466 mg GAE/g, while the flavonoid content was calculated as 4.44 mgQE/g. According to the obtained results, the analyzed M. uniflora leaves ethanol extracts demonstrated that the biological activity level could be considered significant.