Phytochemical screening, antibacterial and anthelmintic activities of leaf and seed extracts of Coix lacryma-jobi L.

Objective: To evaluate the possible phytochemical constituents, antibacterial and anthelmintic activity of Coix lacryma-jobi L. (Job's tears) using the chloroform leaves and seed extracts. Methods: The test for antibacterial activity and minimum inhibitory concentration was conducted by the disc diffusion and two-fold dilution method, respectively. In anthelmintic activity test, using Pheretima posthuma model, vermifuge and vermicidal activity were determined by using the chloroform extract at various concentrations. Results: The preliminary phytochemical screening of chloroform extracts of Job's tears leaves indicated the presence of alkaloid, carbohydrate, saponin, glycosides, flavonoids, phenols, tannins and steroids whereas the seeds extract contained glycosides, flavonoids, phenols and steroids, which revealed highest antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (12.5–50 mg/mL) was observed against all selected bacteria. On the other hand, it has been observed that chloroform leaves extracts showed shortest time of paralysis (P = 8.17 min) and death (D = 18.23 min) at 100 mg/mL concentration, in comparison with seed extracts (P = 36.83 min and D = 62.33 min) at 100 mg/mL concentration and albendazole (10 mg/mL) used as reference drug (P = 20.17 min and D = 43.67 min), which indicated the plant possessed mild anthelmintic activity. Conclusions: The chloroform extracts (leaves and seeds) showed efficacy for both bacterial infections and parasitic diseases, which ensure the traditional uses of Coix lacryma-jobi L.