DNA Fingerprinting, Phytochemical screening, Proximate analysis, chemical investigation of lipoidal matter and Antimicrobial activities of Sansevieria trifasciata Prain. and Sansevieria suffruticosa N.E.Br.

Sansevieria trifasciata Prain. and Sansevieria suffruticosa N.E.Br. are ornamental plants in Asparagaceae family. This study aimed to authenticate the two Sansevieria species growing in Egypt by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique, which helps in the identification of these Sansevieria species showing great morphological similarity. In addition, phytochemical screening and proximate analysis were conducted for the two Sansevieria species showing presence of carbohydrates and/or glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, sterols and/or triterpenes, saponins, proteins and amino acids. Proximate analysis of fresh aerial non-flowering parts of each of the two Sansevieria species yielded a moisture content of 80.77 and 89.06%, total ash of 1.06 and 2.21%, acid-insoluble ash of 2.97 and 0.14%, water-insoluble ash of 2.93 and 1.18% and crude fiber content of 12.5 and 22.05% for S. trifasciata Prain. and S. suffruticosa N.E.Br. respectively. Lipoidal matter content was analyzed by GCMS. Regarding unsaponifiable matter, phytol was the major compound in the two species representing 48.15% and 30.61% in S. trifasciata Prain. and S. suffruticosa N.E. Br., respectively. While, linoleic acid methyl ester was major compound in saponifiable matter analysis of S. trifasciata Prain. (33.11%) and S. suffruticosa N.E.Br. (39.83%). Furthermore, antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of the aerial non-flowering parts of both Sansevieria was evaluated against many micro-organisms showing strong antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus showing diameters of inhibition zones 26.93 and 24.93 mm for S. trifasciata Prain. and S. suffruticosa N.E.Br., respectively, compared to ketoconazole.