Total phenolic content, antioxidant potential and antibacterial activity of three medicinal plants grown widely in Algeria steppe

Antibiotic resistance by pathogenic microorganisms and the toxic properties of several synthetic antioxidants have become a serious problem. The plant species constitute an inexhaustible source of molecules with very varied biological and pharmacological activities. This study aims to estimate the effect of substrate polarity on antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of three medicinal plants: Artemisia campestris, Retamas phaerocarpa, Saccocalyx saturoides. As well as the total phenolic contents were evaluated. Antioxidant capacity was assessed by diphenyle-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH). Antibacterial activity was evaluated by the agar diffusion method. The total phenol content were determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu method. The results revealed that scavenging capacity of DPPH free radical depends of nature of the solvents. The percent of inhibition ranges from 46.56 to 93.20%. The ethyl acetate fraction of A. campestris exhibits the highest antioxidant activity. A.campestris extract showed the highest phenol content (731.66 μg EAG / ml extracted). Whereas all extracts tested were inactive on Escherichia Coli, Staphyococus. Extracts of A.campestris have great potential as an antioxidant drug.