Article Id:JPRS-MB-0000784 Title:Antimicrobial activity and phytochemical screening of five wild plants against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus Category:Microbiology Section:Research Article
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The antimicrobial activity of plant oils and extracts has been recognized for many years. In the present study, the antibacterial activity of methanol and hexane leaf extracts of Datura stramonium, Ricinus communis, Calotropis gigantean, Malva verticillata and Malvastrum coromandelium was evaluated against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis by agar well diffusion method. The maximum antimicrobial activity expressed in terms of zone of inhibition was shown by methanol and hexane leaf extracts of Datura stramonium (29 to 35mm) followed by Ricinus communis (15 to 24mm), Calotropis gigantean (12 to 25mm) and Malva verticillata (12 to 16mm) against all the test organisms. The present study also revealed that methanolic leaf extracts exhibited more effective antibacterial activity as compared to hexane extracts. Phytochemical screening of leaf extracts of five wild plants revealed the presence of steroids, flavonoids and cardiac glycosides as active components in both methanol and hexane extracts. Tannins were found to be absent in both the extracts. This study scientifically validates the use of plants as a potent antibacterial agents.
1Department of Biotechnology, University Institute of Engineering and Technology,Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra , India 2Department of Environmental Engineering, IIT, Mumbai, India
*Corresponding author. Dr. Pranay Jain Asstt. Professor, Biotechnology UIET, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, India
Received on: 16-02-2010; Revised on: 14-03-2010; Accepted on:15-04-2010