Available online www.jocpr.com Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, 2015, 7(7):1194-1198 Research Article ISSN : 0975-7384 CODEN(USA) : JCPRC5 1194 The antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Azorella multifida on phytopathogenic bacteria Jefferson Romero 1 , Adriana Jara 2 , Maria Elena Cazar 2 , Aurelio San Martin 3,4 and Margarita Gutierrez 5 1 Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia 2 Laboratory of Natural Product Biotechnology, University of Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador 3 Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile 4 Faculty of Sciences, Magallanes University, Chile 5 Organic Synthesis Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry of Natural Resources, Research Program in Chemistry and Bio-Organics of Natural Resources, University of Talca, Casilla 747, Talca, Chile _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibition of antibacterial and antioxidant activity by extracts of the aerial parts of Azorella multifida collected in Cuenca, Ecuador. Azorella multifida presented poor antioxidant activity in dichloromethane and petroleum ether extracts (DPPH) with IC 50 values >300 ug/mL, while it showed moderate antioxidant activity in methanolic extracts. Total phenolic content was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu method and total flavonoid content by the formation of a flavonoid-aluminum complex. All extracts were evaluated as antibacterial agents on clinical isolates of human pathogens without demonstrating activity on the microorganisms. Antibacterial activity against phytopathogenic microorganisms was evaluated, with interesting results. Key words: Antibacterial phytopathogens, antioxidants, phenolics, Azorella multifida. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Microbial resistance to conventional antibiotics has increased significantly in recent times, and the study of the antibacterial properties of plant extracts and natural phytochemicals has attracted significant interest from specialists in the field. Latin American countries have a long tradition of applying plants in different fields, and their use is widespread in rural and semirural areas. In recent years considerable attention has been devoted to medicinal plants with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Many natural antioxidants, especially flavonoids, have a wide range of biological effects, including antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antithrombotic, and vasodilatory activity [1]. Antioxidant activity is a fundamentally important property for life, and it has often been argued that antioxidant properties play an important role in preventing diseases caused by oxidative stress, such as cancer, coronary arteriosclerosis, and the aging processes [2]. Phytopathogenic microorganisms are the main infectious agents in plants, causing alterations during developmental stages, including post-harvest. In fruit and vegetables, a wide variety of fungal and bacterial genera exist, causing quality problems in a number of aspects such as nutritional value, organoleptic characteristics, and leading to limited shelf life [3]. Bacterial plant diseases have always been major constraints in crop production causing severe losses every year. Control of bacterial plant pathogens is a well-known property of natural products, as microorganisms constantly