Abstract

• Cassia fistula L., belonging to family Fabaceae, is known for its beautiful inflorescences and medicinal properties of various plant parts. This plant is called Ngu-shwe-war in Myanmar. It is widely cultivated and used in folk medicine. The present study was designed to evaluate the preliminary phytochemical constituents and antimicrobial activity of fruits of Cassia fistula L. The specimen were collected from Banmaw Township, Kachin State. The morphological characters of this plant have been studied in detail and identified by the literatures (Backer, 1968; Burkill, 1935; Hooker, 1881; Dassanayake, 1981 and Hu-Qi-ming, 2009). The diagnostic characters of dried fruit pulp powder of Cassia fistula L. were investigated for standardization of powdered drugs. Then the powdered sample was subjected to phytochemical analysis in order to find out the presence of phytochemical constituents. From this, it is known that it contained alkaloids, glycoside, reducing sugar, saponin, steroid, terpenoids, carbohydrate, tannin, phenolic compound, flavonoid, starch, protein and amino acid. For antimicrobial activity, the fruit pulp powder of Cassia fistula L. was extracted with six different solvents to carryout antimicrobial screening in vitro on six different types of microorganisms by paper disc diffusion method. It was found that the watery extract showed most significant antimicrobial activity on Aspergillus flavous and Candida albicans whereas ethanol extract also gave highest activity on Escherichia coli. The phytochemical investigations and antimicrobial activity of fruit of Cassia fistula L. prove its importance as a valuable medicinal plant.