Jigna Parekh

In vitro antibacterial activity of the crude methanol extract of Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz. flower (Lythraceae)

The antibacterial activity of the crude methanol extract of Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz. flower was evaluated at two different concentrations by the agar well diffusion method. The methanol extract of the flower exhibited antibacterial activity at varied levels except against Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus flavus. The methanol extract was most active against Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes. The extract was more active against Gram-negative bacteria as compared to Gram-positive. The inhibitory effect of the extract was compared with standard antibiotics, amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin.

Screening of some traditionally used medicinal plants for potential antibacterial activity

In the present work an attempt has been made to carry out screening for the preliminary antibacterial activity of different plants used in Indian folk medicine. The aim of the study was to select an active plant extract which may be useful in developing new lead compounds to combat deadly diseases. Twelve plants were selected for preliminary screening for their antibacterial potentiality, viz., Abutilon indicum L., Acorous calamus L., Ammania baccifera L., Argyrea nervosa Burm. F., Bauhinia variegata L., Crataeva religiosa Forst., Hedychium spicatum L., Holarrhena antidysenterica L., Piper nigrum L., Plumbago zeylanica L., Psoralea corylifolia L., Saussurea lappa Costus. The antibacterial activity was done by both agar disc diffusion method and agar well diffusion method against five bacterial strains, viz., Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes . The plant material was extracted with distilled water (aqueous) and methanol. The preliminary screening experiment revealed that methanol extracts were more potent than the aqueous extracts. The plant extracts were more active against gram-positive bacteria than gram-negative bacteria. The most susceptible bacteria were K. pneumoniae and the most resistant bacteria were E. coli . Bauhinia variegata L. exhibited remarkable antibacterial activity.

Screening of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of some Indian medicinal plants for antibacterial activity

The antibacterial activities of 100 extracts of 50 Indian plant species were tested against six medically important bacterial strains, viz., B. cereus, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, K. pneumoniae, A. fecalis and P. aeruginosa . The antibacterial assay was done by both agar disc diffusion method and agar well diffusion method. The antibacterial activity exhibited by alcoholic extract was better than the aqueous extract. The results evaluated as the diameter of the inhibition zone of microbial growth showed that the extracts were more active against gram-positive bacteria than gram-negative bacteria. Amongst the investigated microorganisms, the most resistant bacteria were P. aeruginosa and A. fecalis . The most susceptible bacteria were gram-positive B. cereus and gram-negative K. pneumoniae , and the maximum activity was shown by T. chebula, M. indica and E. citriodora

Indian medicinal herb: Antimicrobial efficacy of Mesua ferrea L. seed extracted in different solvents against infection causing pathogenic strains

Abstract Objective To study the antimicrobial potential of Mesua ferrea ( M. ferrea ) L. seed extracts employed for antimicrobial assay. Methods The plant powder was extracted in seven different solvents of increasing polarities against a wide spectrum of microbial strains. Agar disc diffusion method was employed for antimicrobial assay at the concentration of 500 μg/disc. Gram-positive bacteria were most susceptible and yeast was most resistant. The pronounced antimicrobial activity was with the extracts in non-polar solvents than in polar ones. Results The results were compared with the zones of inhibition produced by commercially available standard antibiotics. The lipophilic extracts of M. ferrea L. showed more activity towards Gram positive bacteria. Conclusion These results indicate that activity could be attributed to the presence of essential oil, xanthones and coumarines present within the seed of this plant. These results indicate that M. ferrea extract could be useful in fighting emerging drug-resistant microorganisms.

Assessment of quality of Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard leaf (Sapotaceae): Pharmacognostical and Physicochemical profile

Abstract The term pharmacognosy, a constituent scientific discipline of pharmacy, has been in use for nearly 200 years and it refers to the studies on natural product drugs. The present study deals with the macroscopic and microscopic studies of Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard leaf. The anatomy of the leaf was studied by taking transverse section which showed anomocytic stomata, unicellular trichomes, etc. Powder microscopic examination showed presence of pitted pericyclic fibres, spiral xylem vessels and calcium oxalate crystals. Physicochemical parameters and heavy metal analysis of the powder were also carried out. The present investigation on M. hexandra leaf might be useful to supplement information in regard to its identification parameters. Such studies are important in the way of acceptability of herbal drugs in present scenario of lacking regulatory laws to control quality of herbal drugs.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Terminalia chebula Retz. Fruit in Different Solvents

ABSTRACT Petroleum ether, chloroform, dimethylformamide, ethanol and water extracts from fruits of Terminalia chebula Retz. were investigated for their antimicrobial activities. The microbial strains investigated include nine Gram-positive bacteria: Bacillus cereus ATCC1 1778, Bacillus megaterium ATCC9885, Bacillus subtilis ATCC6633, Corynebacterium rubrum ATCC14898, Micrococcus flavus ATCC10240, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC29737, Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC12228, Staphylococcus subfava NCIM2178; fourteen Gram-negative bacteria: Alcaligenes fecalis ATCC8750, Citrobacter freundii ATCC10787, Enterobacter aerogenes ATCC13048, Escherichia coli ATCC25922, Klebsiella aerogenes NCTC418, Klebsiella pneumoniae NCIM2719, Proteus mirabilis NCIM2241, Proteus morganii NCIM2040, Proteus vulgaris NCTC8313, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes ATCC17440, Pseudomonas putida ATCC 12842, Pseudomonas testosteroni NCIM5098, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC23564; seven yeast: Candida albicans ATCC2091, Candida albicans ATCC 18804, Candida glabrata NCIM3448, Candida tropicalis ATCC4563, Cryptococcus luteolus ATCC32044, Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC34664, Trichosporon beigelii NCIM3404 and four moulds: Aspergillus candidus NCIM883, Aspergillus flavus NCIM538, Aspergillus niger ATCC6275, Mucor hiemalis wehmer NCIM873. Growth inhibition was determined using an agar disc diffusion method. Ethanol extract showed maximum antibacterial activity, while petroleum ether and chloroform extracts showed minimum antibacterial activity. No antifungal activity was shown by any of the extracts. Phytochemical analysis of the crude dried powder of T. chebula revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, cardiac glycosides and saponins. The results suggest that T. chebula extracts can be used in treating diseases caused by the organisms studied.