title: Antibacterial and antifungal activity of Cassia fistula L.: an ethnomedicinal plant.
abstract: Hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and water extracts from the flower of Cassia fistula (an ethnomedicinal plant) were tested against bacteria and fungi. All the extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram-positive organisms with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) between 0.078 and 2.5 mg/ml. Among the Gram-negative bacteria, only Pseudomonas aeruginosa was susceptible to the extracts. Ethyl acetate crude extract was fractionated using chromatographic techniques. A crystal was isolated, which was confirmed as 4-hydroxy benzoic acid hydrate using X-ray crystallography. It exhibited antifungal activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes (MIC 0.5 mg/ml) and Epidermophyton floccosum (MIC 0.5 mg/ml).
authors.affiliation: Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai 600034, India.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Duraipandiyan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ignacimuthu
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002366:Cassia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002725:Chloroform / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization; D004821:Epidermophyton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006586:Hexanes / Q000737:chemistry; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D007194:India; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D014249:Trichophyton / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D006586:Hexanes; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014867:Water; C007650:ethyl acetate; D002725:Chloroform; D000432:Methanol