The medicinal plants have catered to healthcare needs of man since the beginning of human civilization. It is, therefore, of great interest and significance to assess the potential of plants as antimicrobials and antioxidants such that their use in folk medicine is substantiated with scientific data and their use may be continued for the benefit of man and of the society as a whole. Smilax perfoliata Lour. is widely used in traditional cuisine by many tribes of North- east India. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of the leaves of Smilax perfoliata in order to validate its use in traditional cuisine and medicine. The ethanol extract of S. perfoliata leaves showed the presence of- alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics and tannins, steroids, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinone glycosides and saponins. In addition, the plant inhibited bacteria and fungi and also exhibited antioxidant activity. The present work substantiates the biological activities of the plant and therefore, encourages its use as per the available ethnobotanical knowledge. Further, studies are required to isolate and identify the bioactive principle (s) from the plant.
