Abstract

Lichens produce variety of secondary metabolites including depsides, depsidones and dibenzofurans having multifunctional activity in response to external environmental condition. Present study provides evidence for in vitroantibacterial and in vivoantiinflammatory activity of acetone and ethanol extracts of Parmotrema reticulatum. In vitro antibacterial activity was investigated against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Cotton pellet-induced granuloma, xylene-induced ear swelling, carragennan-induced edema, histamine-induced and carboxymethylcellulose sodium-induced leukocyte emigration in mice models were used to quantify the antiinflammatory activity. Acetone and ethanol extracts were showed antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis (minimal inhibitory concentration: 100 and 150 μg/ml) and Staphylococcus aureus(minimal inhibitory concentration: 100 and 200 μg/ml), Escherichia coli (minimal inhibitory concentration: 200 and 250 μg/ml), and Pseudomonasa eruginosa(minimal inhibitory concentration: 200 and 300 μg/ml). Acetone extract was inhibited edema significantly at 200 mg/kg with xylene, cotton pellet, carragennan and histamine induced edema in vivo models. Ethanol extract was found effective at dose of 300 mg/kg with all in vivo antiinflammatory models. The results showed significant (P<0.01) antiinflammatory effects at 200 and 300 mg/kg dose of acetone and ethanol extracts, respectively, which can be concluded that significant activity may be due to presence of flavanoids in ethanol extract and usnic acid in acetone extract.