title: Preliminary screening for in vitro anti-enteritic properties of a traditional herb Dillenia pentagyna Roxb. fruit extracts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore anti-enteric properties of Dillenia pentagyna Roxb. (D. pentagyna) fruit extract fractions of different polarities by comparative antimicrobial activity against municipal sewage microflora and to assess its urease inhibition potential.
  
  
  METHODS
  Different polar fractions of D. pentagyna fruit extracts were studied by antimicrobial susceptibility test with several adjustments in this resource limited setup. Tests were done against municipal sewage microbes at various bacterial load (initially with 1.0 McFarland followed by 1.5 McFarland) using basal (nutrient agar) and selective medium (MacConkey's agar with and without supplementation of 5% NaCl). All assays statistically scaled with a gradient for uniformity and comparison with ciprofloxacin standard. Fraction with highest activity was studied for urease inhibition potential by kinetic method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DP-47 separated by 30% ethyl acetate (EtOAc) in CHCl3 from CHCl3 extract had slightly higher antimicrobial potency (y=0.758x+7.571) as dissolved in methanol than in dimethylsulfoxide (y=0.300x+6.000). EtOAc extract fractioned by 10% methanol in EtOAc (DP-43) was more potent antimicrobial (y=1.428x+8.392) and soluble in water. Butanol extract fractioned by water (DP-50) showed highest antimicrobial potency (y=3.384x+2.000) than both DP-47 and DP-43 in disk diffusion assays. In higher microbial load DP-50 was potent antimicrobial (y=1.538x+3.000) and completely inhibited any vegetative growth at lower load of 0.5 McFarland. In selective environment DP-50 was effective (y=1.076x+7.500 in MacConkey's, y=1.307x+6.000 in 5% NaCl supplemented). It was evident that enteric pathogens may not easily develop resistance against DP-50 and at high concentration it inhibited urease activity by 94.87%. The standard inhibition by thiourea (1%) is 33.914%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Highly polar fraction of D. pentagyna Roxb. fruit extract DP-50 have potential antimicrobial activity against sewage microflora in basal and selective culture indicating its potential against non-fastidious, coliforms and Vibrio pathogens. Urease inhibition indicates efficacy against Helicobactor pylory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, Tripura, India.
authors.forename: Utpal Chandra
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: De
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Women's Polytechnic, Hapania, PO: Amtali via Sekerkote, Tripua, India. Electronic address: surajit03@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Surajit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Debnath
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, Tripura, India.
authors.forename: Ranjit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Women's Polytechnic, Hapania, PO: Amtali via Sekerkote, Tripua, India.
authors.forename: Surajit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Debnath
keywords: Antimicrobial screening; Basal and selective medium; Dillenia pentagyna Roxb. fruit extracts; Municipal sewage microflora Gastrointestinal pathogen; Urease inhibition assay; Variable bacterial load