Preliminary study on the antimicrobial activity of Enicostemma littorale using different solvents.
OBJECTIVE
To study the antimicrobial activity of Enicostemma littorale (E. littorale) using different solvents.


METHODS
Chloroform, methanol and acetone extracts of different parts of E. littorale (leaf, stem and root) were evaluated for antimicrobial activity using disc diffusion method against some gram-negative species such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pnemoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and gram-positive species Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis and two fugal species viz., Aspergillus fumigates and Aspergillus flavus.


RESULTS
The chloroform extracts showed the highest antibacterial activity. Among leaf, stem and root extracts, the stem extracts showed maximum antibacterial activity. All of the used extracts had no significant antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigates and Aspergillus flavus. The chloroform stem extract showed highest activity (about 20 mm inhibition zone) against Bacillus subtilis (at 500 mg/mL) followed by the methanolic stem extract which showed highest activity against the same organism. The lowest antibacterial activity was observed by the acetone leaf extract (about 8 mm inhibition zone) against Escherichia coli.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the study indicate littorale could also be a new source for antibiotics discovery.
Plant Growth Regulation Lab, Department of Botany, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamilnadu, India.
Pitchamuthu
P
Abirami
Muthiah
M
Gomathinayagam
Rajaram
R
Panneerselvam
D000096:Acetone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002725:Chloroform / Q000494:pharmacology; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D029965:Gentianaceae; D000432:Methanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D018517:Plant Roots; D051381:Rats
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000096:Acetone; D002725:Chloroform; D000432:Methanol