PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL LEAVES EXTRACT OF WALTHERIA INDICA

Medicinal plants continue to play a significant role in primary healthcare, especially in regions where access to conventional medicine is limited. Waltheria indica, a plant commonly used in traditional medicine across tropical and subtropical regions, is traditionally employed for treating respiratory problems, infections, inflammation, and various reproductive and gastrointestinal disorders. This study evaluated the phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activity of the ethanol leaf extract of Waltheria indica in order to provide scientific validation for its traditional therapeutic applications. Fresh leaves were collected, authenticated, shade-dried, pulverized, and extracted using 70% ethanol via maceration. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, cardenolides, saponin glycosides, and carbohydrates, while alkaloids and anthraquinones were absent. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Candida albicans using standard disk diffusion methods. The extract exhibited dose-dependent antimicrobial activity, with the highest inhibition zones recorded at 800 mg/mL, especially against Streptococcus pyogenes (10 mm) and Salmonella typhi (13 mm).