Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2024 | Vol7 |Issue6 CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com 1 Chinese Traditional Medical Journal Phytochemical Profile and Antimicrobial Activities of Memordica cymbalaria Hook.f. Fruit Skin Extracts R. Lakshmanan1, M. Deepa2, C. Mahesh3 and R. Solaiammal4 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, G.Venkataswamy Naidu College (Autonomous), Kovilpatti – 628502. (Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli) Tamil Nadu, India 2,3,4, Department of Botany, G.Venkataswamy Naidu College (Autonomous), Kovilpatti – 628502. (Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli) Tamil Nadu, India Introduction Memordica cymbalaria Hook.f., a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is widely known for its therapeutic potential, especially in traditional medicine. It has been utilized for various ailments, including infections and inflammatory conditions. Despite the increasing use of synthetic drugs, medicinal plants continue to play a significant role in combating infectious diseases due to their lower side-effect profiles and antimicrobial properties. The standardization of medicinal plant products is crucial for ensuring their reproducibility and therapeutic efficacy. In this context, the present study investigates the Abstract— The current study investigates the phytochemical composition, antibacterial, and antifungal activities of various solvent extracts of Memordica cymbalaria Hook.f., commonly known as bitter melon. The fruit skin extracts were evaluated for the presence of bioactive compounds, as well as their efficacy against common human pathogens. The findings suggest that the plant’s extracts, especially the petroleum ether extract, possess significant antibacterial and antifungal properties, highlighting its potential as a natural therapeutic agent. The study emphasizes the importance of solvent choice in optimizing the extraction of bioactive compounds. Keywords: Memordica cymbalaria, phytochemicals, antibacterial activity, antifungal activity, petroleum ether extract, medicinal plants. Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2024 | Vol7 |Issue6 CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com 2 phytochemical composition and the antimicrobial potential of Memordica cymbalaria fruit skin. Materials and Methods Collection of Plant Material The fruit skin of Memordica cymbalaria was collected from mature fruits and authenticated by a botanist. The plant material was washed, dried, and powdered for further analysis. Natural Habit of Memordica cymbalaria Hook. f. Extraction Process The fruit skin was subjected to extraction using different solvents: Petroleum Ether, Toluene, Acetone, and Aqueous. The extracts were prepared using standard protocols, and the extract concentrations were standardized for antimicrobial testing. Phytochemical Screening The presence of 15 bioactive phytochemicals was screened using standardized methods. The phytochemicals tested included alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, sterols, and more. Table No. 1: The details of selected solvents and Soxhlet unit running parameters of Fruit skin of Memordica cymbalaria Hook.f. S.No. Solvent Name Boiling Point Polarity Total No. of Cycles Soxhlet Total Running Hours 1. Petroleum Ether 600 C 0.1 18 3 2. Toluene 1110 C 2.4 14 3 3. Acetone 560 C 5.1 09 3 4. Aqueous 1000 C 10.2 03 3 Table No. 2: Qualitative analysis of phytochemicals constituents of Fruit skin of Memordica cymbalaria Hook.f. Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2024 | Vol7 |Issue6 CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com 3 S.NO TEST NAME PETROLEUM ETHER TOLUENE ACETONE AQUEOUS 1. Alkaloids + + - - 2. Steroids + + - + 3. Reducing sugars + - - - 4. Tannins - + + + 5. Saponins - - + + 6. Coumarins - - - + 7. Flavonoids + - + - 8. Terpenoids + - + + 9. Glycosides - + - - 10. Quinones - - - - 11. Amino acids + - - - 12. Essential oils - + - - 13. Aromatic acids + - - - 14. Carbohydrates + - - - 15. Anthocyanins - + - + Total No. of Phytochemicals 8 6 4 6 Note: (+) Present; (-)Absent Antibacterial Activity Antibacterial screening was performed using the disc diffusion method. The following bacterial strains were tested: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis. Antifungal Activity The antifungal activity of the extracts was evaluated against Aspergillus niger and Penicillium notatum using similar methods to those used for antibacterial screening. Results Phytochemical Composition The phytochemical composition varied depending on the solvent used for extraction. The following compounds were identified: Petroleum Ether Extract: Amino acids, Carbohydrates, Terpenoids, Steroids, Reducing sugars, Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Aromatic acids. Toluene Extract: Alkaloids, Steroids, Tannins, Glycosides, Essential oils, Anthocyanins. Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2024 | Vol7 |Issue6 CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com 4 Acetone Extract: Tannins, Terpenoids, Flavonoids, Saponins. Aqueous Extract: Tannins, Terpenoids, Steroids, Saponins, Coumarins, Anthocyanins. These findings indicate that different solvents extract distinct phytochemicals, emphasizing the importance of solvent selection for maximizing the extraction of bioactive compounds. Antibacterial Activity The antimicrobial properties of the fruit skin extracts were evaluated against four bacterial pathogens. The results indicated that the petroleum ether extract exhibited the highest antibacterial activity: • Staphylococcus aureus: 16.4 mm zone of inhibition. • Escherichia coli: 16 mm zone of inhibition. • Pseudomonas aeruginosa: 15.2 mm zone of inhibition. • Bacillus subtilis: 15 mm zone of inhibition. These results suggest that Memordica cymbalaria fruit skin, particularly the petroleum ether extract, holds promise as an effective antibacterial agent. Table No. 3. Antimicrobial activity of leaves extracts of Fruit skin of Memordica cymbalaria Hook.f. using disc diffusion assay S. No Pathogens Antibacterial activity - Zone of Inhibition (mm) Petroleum Ether Toluene Acetone Aqueous Control (Amikacin) 1. Escherichia coli 16 ± 0.5 15± 0.5 16.2 ± 0.3 12 ± 0.6 17 ± 0.4 2. Pseudomonas aeruginosa 15.2 ± 0.2 13.6 ± 0.2 14.6 ± 0.4 13 ± 0.3 17 ± 0.5 3. Staphylococcus aureus 15 ± 0.3 13 ± 0.3 16 ± 0.2 12 ± 0.2 18 ± 0.4 4. Bacillus subtilis 16.4 ± 0.4 14 ± 0.4 15 ± 0.5 12.3 ± 0.5 18 ± 0.3 S. No Pathogens Antifungal activity - Zone of Inhibition (mm) Petroleum Ether Toluene Acetone Aqueous Control (Nystatin) 1. Aspergillus niger 17 ± 0.5 13.6± 0.5 13 ± 0.3 11 ± 0.6 16 ± 0.4 2. Pencillium notatum 15 ± 0.2 14 ± 0.2 13 ± 0.4 11.5 ± 0.3 15 ± 0.5 ± Standard Error, + Present, – Absent Figure No. 3. Antimicrobial activity of leaves extracts of Fruit skin of Memordica cymbalaria Hook.f. using disc diffusion assay Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2024 | Vol7 |Issue6 CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com 5 Antifungal Activity The antifungal activity of the fruit skin extracts was also significant: • Aspergillus niger: Maximum zone of inhibition (17 mm) in the petroleum ether extract and minimum (11 mm) in the aqueous extract. • Penicillium notatum: Maximum zone of inhibition (15 mm) in the petroleum ether extract and minimum (11.5 mm) in the aqueous extract. These results demonstrate that Memordica cymbalaria is also effective against fungal pathogens, further supporting its therapeutic potential. Discussion The phytochemical screening revealed that Memordica cymbalaria contains a wide range of bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and saponins. The composition of these compounds varied with the solvent used for extraction, which is consistent with previous studies on other medicinal plants. Petroleum ether and acetone extracts, in particular, showed the presence of key bioactive compounds like alkaloids and terpenoids, known for their antimicrobial properties. The antibacterial activity of the fruit skin extracts, especially the petroleum ether extract, was significant, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, which are major causes of human infections. The observed antimicrobial activity aligns with other studies suggesting the potential of Memordica cymbalaria as a natural source of antimicrobial agents. Similarly, the antifungal activity of the petroleum ether extract against Aspergillus niger and Penicillium notatum highlights the broad- spectrum potential of this plant in combating both bacterial and fungal pathogens. This finding is particularly important in the context of rising Chinese Traditional Medicine Journal | 2024 | Vol7 |Issue6 CTMJ | traditionalmedicinejournals.com 6 fungal infections and increasing resistance to conventional antifungal agents. Conclusion The results of this study underscore the therapeutic potential of Memordica cymbalaria fruit skin, particularly its extracts in petroleum ether. The significant antibacterial and antifungal activities observed in this study suggest that the plant can be developed as a natural antimicrobial agent. Further research is needed to isolate and characterize the active compounds responsible for these activities and to explore their mechanism of action in greater detail. 6. REFERENCES Abdelmegeed et al. (2013) Abdelmegeed MA, Jang S, Banerjee A, Hardwick JP, Song BJ. Robust protein nitration contributes to acetaminophen-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and acute liver injury. 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