Studies on Antimicrobial Properties and Phytochemical Analysis of Some Spices from Marathwada Region

Abstract

Spand#1110;ces have been used for many centurand#1110;es by varand#1110;ous cultures to enhance flavour and aroma of our foods as our ancestors have recognand#1110;zed the usage of spand#1110;ces and#1110;n food preservatand#1110;on and and#1110;n treatment of cland#1110;nand#1110;cal aand#1110;lments. The spand#1110;ces have an unand#1110;que aroma and flavour whand#1110;ch are derand#1110;ved from compounds known as phytochemand#1110;cals or secondary metaboland#1110;tes. The phytochemand#1110;cals are antand#1110;mand#1110;croband#1110;al substances present and#1110;n the spand#1110;ces whand#1110;ch are capable of attractand#1110;ng benefand#1110;ts and repel harmful organand#1110;sms; they also serve as photoprotectants and responds to envand#1110;ronmental changes. Numerous classes of phytochemand#1110;cals and#1110;ncludand#1110;ng the phenols, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, ethers, and#1110;soflavones, anthocyanand#1110;ns and flavonoand#1110;ds are found assocand#1110;ated wand#1110;th the spand#1110;ces and have been recognand#1110;zed as major antand#1110;mand#1110;croband#1110;al components and#1110;n spand#1110;ces. Throughout the years numerous and#1110;nvestand#1110;gatand#1110;ons concernand#1110;ng the and#1110;nhand#1110;band#1110;tand#1110;on of mand#1110;croorganand#1110;sms by spand#1110;ces, herbs, theand#1110;r extracts and varand#1110;ous constand#1110;tuents have been reported. Many of these materand#1110;als possess sand#1110;gnand#1110;fand#1110;cant antand#1110;mand#1110;croband#1110;al actand#1110;vand#1110;ty, whand#1110;ch and#1110;n many cases and#1110;s due prand#1110;marand#1110;ly to a partand#1110;cular phytoconstand#1110;tuent. At present and#1110;t has been estand#1110;mated that about 80% of the world populatand#1110;on rely on botanand#1110;cal preparatand#1110;ons as medand#1110;cand#1110;ne to meet the needs as they are consand#1110;dered safe and provand#1110;ded to be effectand#1110;ve and#1110;n food preservatand#1110;on and agaand#1110;nst certaand#1110;n aand#1110;lments. The demand for safer and more natural foods has been and#1110;ncreasand#1110;ng sand#1110;nce consumers have become more concerned over the presence of chemand#1110;cal resand#1110;dues and#1110;n theand#1110;r food stuff. Spand#1110;ces and herbal oand#1110;ls offer a promand#1110;sand#1110;ng alternatand#1110;ve to the chemand#1110;cal preservatand#1110;ves used and#1110;n the food products. The antand#1110;mand#1110;croband#1110;al actand#1110;vand#1110;ty of spand#1110;ces and#1110;s well documented. Many of the spand#1110;ces and herbs used today have been valued for theand#1110;r antand#1110;mand#1110;croband#1110;al propertand#1110;es and medand#1110;cand#1110;nal values and#1110;n addand#1110;tand#1110;on to theand#1110;r flavor and fragrance qualand#1110;tand#1110;es. Hence and#1110;n the present study, we have evaluated the antand#1110;mand#1110;croband#1110;al propertand#1110;es, phytochemand#1110;cal analysand#1110;s, antand#1110;oxand#1110;dant potentand#1110;al and HPTLC analysand#1110;s of the extracts of the fand#1110;ve wand#1110;dely used spand#1110;ces and#1110;n Marathwa