title: Microbiological screening of Indian medicinal plants with special reference to enteropathogens.
abstract: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that all member states actively promote native medicines in their country. Ten Indian medicinal plants were screened for antibacterial activity specific to enteropathogens. Diffusion and dilution methods were used to measure the antibacterial activity. Allium sativum, Camellia sinensis, and Chamaesyce hirta showed higher activity when compared to the rest. They had a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of < 100 micrograms/ml and gave inhibition zones of more than 2 cm. Among the pathogens studied, Vibrio cholerae and Shigella flexneri were found to be highly susceptible to the plant extracts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Dr. ALM PGIBMS, Taramani, Madras, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vijaya
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ananthan
mesh_terms: D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012760:Shigella / Q000187:drug effects*; D012761:Shigella boydii / Q000187:drug effects; D012763:Shigella flexneri / Q000187:drug effects; D012764:Shigella sonnei / Q000187:drug effects; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts