# Phytochemical, Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities of Gaultheria Trichophylla [PERSON]
## 4 Discussion  
In the south west district of China, _Gaultheria yunnanensis_ (Franch.) Rehd. from the family Ericaceae is widely used herbal medicine to treat rheumatoid arthritis, trauma, swelling pains, chronic tracheitis, cold, and vertigo. Analgesic and antipyretic effects of this plant are due to its volatile oil called \"wintergreen oil\" [47]. From the pharmacognostic evaluation it can be concluded that the powder drug of _G. trichophylla_ can be differentiated and authenticated on the basis of fluorescence and solubility analysis. The various solvents (C\({}_{6}\)H\({}_{6}\) and HNO\({}_{3}\)) used in the current study for pharmacognostic characterization may be recommended as a reference for future studies. Qualitative study of phytochemicals suggested the presence of various active constituents, while an appraisable quantity of phenolics and flavonoids were also reported in a quantitative estimation of different extracts. The current findings of the total phenolic and flavonoids contents also agreed with [24]. Flavonoids estimation with TLC showed the presence of four flavonoids. The presence of phytoconstituents in _G. trichophylla_ such as rutin, quercetin, and gallic acid was also confirmed using HPLC techniques by [48]. According to [47], some salicate derivatives, organic acids, lignans, triterpenoids, sterols, coumarins, and flavonoids have been isolated and identified from the roots of _G. yunnanensis._ From the study of [4], two methyl salicate glycosides were naturally isolated from _G. yunnanensis._ These results also showed consistency with those of [49]. Elemental analysis of the current work revealed important nutritional minerals which are parallel to the findings of [50].  
The outcomes of cytotoxic activity revealed moderate cytotoxic activity. Using extracts of _G. trichophylla_[48] and working on fruits of _Gaultheria pumila_[51] reported excellent anticancer activity against the human cancerous cell line. Conclusion of results against said fungal strains revealed that methanolic extracts of _G. trichophylla_ were found more efficient followed by ethyl acetate and n-hexane extracts. According to [52; 53] antifungal properties are due to saponins.  
Antibacterial activities conclude that methanolic, acetate, and n-hexane extracts were found more efficient against all the aforementioned bacterial strains. The same extracts of the _Toddalia asiatica_ leaf and stem were found active against gram positive and gram-negative bacterial strains according to [54]; similar results were also reported by [43]. Inhibitory effects against various pathogenic bacterial strains of plant extracts can be compared with phenolic composition [55; 56]. Crude catechins were found more efficient against gram positive bacteria [51].  
A classification for antifungal activities based on MIC values of extracts was proposed by [57]. Extracts considered to be strong inhibitors have MIC values of 500 ug/mL, while extracts having MIC values of 600-1500 ug/mL are considered as moderate inhibitors, and extract considered as weak inhibitors have MIC values above 1600 ug/mL. In this contest, our current study showed antifungal activity of all fractions against the said pathogen; however, our scheme was slightly modified and the fractions that inhibited growth of fungus by more than 70% were considered as strong inhibitors, those having 60-70% were considered as moderate, and below 50% were considered as weak inhibitors. The outcomes of current work defended the use of investigated plant in the alpine and sub-alpine region of Western Himalaya as ethno-medicine.