Antibacterial activity of some medicinal plant extracts.
Antibacterial activity of hot aqueous and methanolic extracts prepared from six plants (Terminallia chebula, Terminallia bellerica, Phyllanthus emblica, Punica granatum, Lawsonia alba and Mikania micrantha) used in traditional folk medicines of India were screened against five pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 2940, Bacillus subtilis MTCC 441, Escherichia coli MTCC 739, Proteus vulgaris MTCC 426 and Enterobacter aerogenes MTCC 111). The highest antibacterial potentiality was exhibited by the methanolic leaf extract of T. chebula, followed by the aqueous fruit extract of T. bellerica. The leaf extract of T. chebula can be considered to be as equally potent as the most effective antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, kanamycin, ofloxacin and cephalexin. A sensitivity test performed with commonly used sensitivity test disks resulted in the appearance of multiple drug resistance phenotypes of the bacteria tested. A comparison of data in the inhibition zones of pathogenic bacteria showed that gentamycin, ofloxacin, kanamycin and tobramycin were effective against all of the bacterial strains tested.
Ghosh
Anupam
A
Department of Zoology, Bankura Christian College, Bankura, West Bengal, 722101, India. anupamghosh75@yahoo.co.in
Das
Bidus Kanti
BK
Roy
Arup
A
Mandal
Biplab
B
Chandra
Goutam
G
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D021902:Enterobacter aerogenes / Q000187:drug effects; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D007194:India; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011514:Proteus vulgaris / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts