Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2016) 5(6): 642-654 642 Original Research Article http://dx.doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2016.506.070 HPTLC Finger Print Profile and Evaluation of in vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Mirabilis jalapa L. Flowers K. Kalaivani and G. Prasanna* PG and Research Department of Biochemistry, Sengamala Thayaar Educational Trust Women’s College, Sundarakkottai, Mannargudi, Thiruvarur Dt, Tamil Nadu, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Introduction Human beings have used plants for the treatment of diverse ailments for thousands of years (Sofowara, 1982; Hill, 1989). According to the World Health Organization, most populations still rely on traditional medicines for their psychological and physical health requirements (Rabe and Van Stoden, 2000), since they cannot afford the products of Western pharmaceutical industries together with their side effects and lack of healthcare facilities (Griggs et al., 2001). Rural areas of many developing countries still rely on traditional medicine for their primary health care needs and have found a place in day-to-day life. These medicines are relatively safer and cheaper than synthetic or modern medicine (Iwu et al., 1999; Idu et al., 2007; Mann et al., 2008; Ammara et al., 2009). In many parts of the world, medicinal plants have been used for its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities for International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 5 Number 6 (2016) pp. 642-654 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com The present study has been designed to carry out the phytochemical screening, HPTLC finger print profile and in vitro antimicrobial activity of aqueous flowers extract of Mirabilis jalapa. Preliminary phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of alkaloids, anthraquinones, glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, terpenes etc., In HPTLC analysis, quercetin bands were identified in sample chromatogram (5 and 10 μl) which was confirmed by the chromatogram obtained from the standard quercetin and by comparing retention factors of quercetin (Rf - 0.51) value is from sample and standard solution. In vitro antimicrobial activity of plant extract ( 50, 100 and 150 μg/ml) was also performed by using disc diffusion method against the pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and E.coli, pathogenic fungi such as Candida albicans and Trichoderma viride. 150 μg of aqueous flowers extract was active against both the bacterial and fungal species. Standard antibiotics gentamicin, amphotericin-B were also performed for antibacterial and antifungal activity respectively. The results of our study indicated that flavonoid quercetin is present in the plant extract which may responsible for potent antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms. Keywords Antimicrobial, flowers extract, HPTLC, Mirabilis jalapa, phytochemical, quercetin. Accepted: 23 May 2016 Available Online: 10 June 2016 Article Info