Abstract

IN VITRO EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF LEAF EXTRACT OF CLEOME GYNANDRA L.

Annem Srinivas Reddy*

ABSTRACT

Medicinal plants serve as an alternative source to synthetic drugs. Medicinal plants are gaining importance as they are less toxic, less expensive, safe in use and with less side effects. The phytochemical constituents of the medicinal plants can cure various human ailments. In this study, the plant Cleome gynandra was selected and the antimicrobial activity of aqueous and methanol leaf extract of Cleome gynandra was evaluated. The methanol and aqueous leaf extract of Cleome gynandra was screened against 3 bacterial species viz., Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and one fungal species Candida albicans. The zones of inhibition was found to be between 7 mm to 13 mm at 50 mg/mL, 75 mg/mL, 100 mg/mL leaf extract concentrations. The result of the study, revealed that the inhibition activity was dose dependent and the methanol leaf extract showed maximum inhibitory activity compared to aqueous extract.

Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, Cleome gynandra, Inhibition zone, Disk diffusion method.