Abstract

STUDY OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY AND BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST SELECTED PATHOGENS CAUSING HUMAN INTESTINAL DISTURBANCES.

Dave Jyoti*, Sharma Swati, Shriwas Poonam and Khera Jaspreet

ABSTRACT

The present study is based on the investigation of antibacterial activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Cymbopogon citratus and Asparagus racemosus. The microorganisms used in the study are human intestinal disturbance causing pathogens viz Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris and Escherichia coli. The susceptibility of bacterial strains against the two extracts was determined using disk diffusion method. The most susceptible microorganism was S. aureus while the least susceptible organisms was E.coli. Highest antibacterial activity was observed with ethanolic extract of Cymbopogon citratus against S.aureus (12mm) while minimum activity was observed with aqueous extract of Asparagus recemosus against P.vulgaris (1mm). Ethanolic extracts of both the samples were more effective in comparison to the aqueous extracts in inhibiting the growth of pathogens under study. They were less potent when compared with ciprofloxacin used as positive control. Biochemical analysis shows the presence of alkaloid, flavanoids and tannins in both the samples where as steroids were detected only in aqueous extract of Cymbopogon citratus & Asparagus racemosus.

Keywords: C.citratus, A. racemosus, Antibacterial activity, Biochemical analysis, Pathogens.