Efficacy of extracts of six medicinal plants of India against some pathogenic bacteria.

ABSTRACT

The sensitivity of the pathogenic multi-drug resistant bacteria (Aeromonas hydrophila, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus niacini, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Geobacillus thermodenitrificans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Paenibacillus koreensis, Paenibacillus larvae larvae, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas flourescens, Pseudomonas putida and Staphylocccus aureus) was tested against aqueous, acetone and ethanol extracts of mature leaves of Mimosa pudica Linn. (Mimosaceae) and Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae), stems of Michelia champaca Linn. (Magnoliaceae) and Musa paradisiaca Linn.(Musaceae), roots of Momordica charantia Linn. (Cucurbitaceae) and Murraya koenigii Linn. (Rutaceae) by agar well diffusion method. Gatifloxacin was the most effective antibiotic against all the reference bacteria. Though all the extracts were found effective, the ethanol extract showed maximum inhibition against the test microorganisms followed by acetone and aqueous extract. Bacillus niacini is the most resistant bacteria and Klebsiella pneumoniae is the most sensitive bacteria against all the extracts used. MIC values of each bacterium were also determined.