Evaluation of antimicrobial potential of some Indian medicinal plants against some pathogenic microbes

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the antimicrobial property of five medicinal plants, viz. <i style="">Ocimum basilicum </i>Linn., <i style="">Peltophorum ferrugineum </i>(Decne) Benth., <i style="">Phyllanthus fraternus </i>Webster, <i style="">Triumfetta rotundifolia </i>Lam. and <i style="">Ziziphus nummularia </i>(Burm.f.) Wight &amp; Arn. found in India. The plants were extracted using cold percolation method with different solvents (petroleum ether, acetone and methanol) against four Gram positive bacteria, four Gram negative bacteria and two fungi by agar well diffusion method. <i style="">Micrococcus</i> <i>flavus </i>and <i>Proteus vulgaris</i> were the most susceptible bacteria and <i>Candida tropicalis</i> was the most susceptible fungi among the screened microorganisms. Amongst the plants screened, <i>P. ferrugineum</i> showed best antibacterial activity in both acetone and methanol extracts.