Paper Key : IRJ************793
Author: Dr.b.nandhini,Ashmitha R,Dharuna K
Date Published: 26 Oct 2023
Abstract
Tea (Camellia. sinensis) is considered as one of the essential functional foods and is highly valued for its taste, aroma and also an integral part of different culture and traditions around the globe. Through the years tea consumption is deeply associated with numerous health benefits in humans. The health promoting factor of tea is mainly contributed by the presence of bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and its antioxidant activity. In recent decades the use of probiotics for disease prevention and health benefits has considerably increased and has become a worldwide interest and indicating a new possibility for isolating probiotic strains. Lactobacillus is one of the predominant probiotic microorganisms and their health benefits to humans are proved in several studies. They used to treat several metabolic disorders and aid in maintenance of gut microbiota. The presence of lactic acid bacteria, a dominant probiotic organism in tea leaves that can exhibit probiotic properties making tea a potential safer source for isolating probiotics. The present study attempts to study the characteristics of isolated bacterial strains from leaves of C.sinensis. All isolates were studied for phenotypic characteristics and biochemical tests were done for identification. Studied for qualitative analysis of prepared crude and aqueous plant extract and observed for presence of alkaloids, flavanoids, terpenoids, steroids, glycosides, saponins and tannin. The analysis of major phytochemical constituents of C.sinensis was further confirmed by thin layer chromatography and studied antimicrobial activity against indicator pathogens. The isolates obtained were gram-positive and rod-shaped bacilli and were identified as Lactobacillus. The strainsLD1, GP1, K1 and GLK1 showed high activity and viability. The plant extracts highly showed the indication for the presence of bioactive compounds. The biochemical compounds present in the extract were further separated in TLC and the extracts showed zone of inhibition against indicator organisms for antimicrobial activity.