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Stream/Area:
-
Subject:
-
Paper ID:
IJSREM66641
Volume:
10 |
8 |
Aug 2026
Pages:
1-3
Publication Frequency:
Monthly (12 issues per year)
License:International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management follows the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) License, allowing free use and distribution with proper attribution.
Pharmacy
SRI Vijay Vidhyalaya College of Pharmacy

Pharmacy
SRI Vijay Vidhyalaya College of Pharmacy
Pharmacy
SRI Vijay Vidhyalaya College of Pharmacy
Pharmacy
SRI Vijay Vidhyalaya College of Pharmacy
Euphorbia hirta L. (family Euphorbiaceae), commonly known as asthma weed or “tawa-tawa,” is a widely distributed medicinal herb traditionally used to treat asthma, bronchitis, dysentery, diarrhoea, and skin infections. The present study was undertaken to carry out phytochemical screening and to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of successive solvent extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous) of the whole plant of Euphorbia hirta. The shade-dried and powdered plant material was subjected to extraction, and the resulting extracts were screened for the presence of major phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, steroids, terpenoids and phenolic compounds using standard qualitative chemical tests. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts was assessed by the agar well diffusion method against selected Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and a fungal strain, and the zones of inhibition were compared with standard antibiotic and antifungal controls. The results confirmed the presence of clinically relevant secondary metabolites and demonstrated measurable antimicrobial activity, particularly in the ethanolic extract, supporting the traditional use of this plant and its potential as a source of lead compounds for the development of new antimicrobial agents.
KEYWORDS
The present study demonstrates that Euphorbia hirta contains a wide array of pharmacologically important secondary metabolites, and its extracts – particularly the ethanolic extract – possess significant antimicrobial activity against common bacterial and fungal pathogens. These findings lend scientific support to the traditional use of Euphorbia hirta in the management of infectious conditions and suggest its potential as a source for the development of new, plant-derived antimicrobial agents. Further studies involving isolation and characterization of the active constituents, along with in-vivo evaluation and toxicity studies, are recommended to fully establish its therapeutic potential.
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Publication Date
8/10/2026
Peer Review Type
Double-Blind Peer Review
Review Rounds: 2
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