Antimicrobial Activities of Certain South Indian Medicinal Plants

In the present study antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of six medicinal plants viz. Gynodropsis Pentaphyllum (Capparidaceae family), Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae family), Merremia gangitica (Convolvulaceae family), Cicca acida (Euphorbiaceae family), Erythrina variegata (Leguminaceae family) and Asparagus fysoxii (Asparagaceae family) were carried out against five pathogenic Bacteria. Out of which three Bacteria are Gram positive – (Staphylococcus aureus NCIM 2079, Streptococcus mutans NCIM 2611, Bacillus cerus NCIM 2106) and two Gram negative bacteria – (Escherichia coli NCIM 2005, Solmonella abony NCIM 2257) using disc diffusion method. The respective bacteria were inoculated in a nutrient broth for overnight incubation. In the comparative study of plant extracts with standard drugs, Sterile disc’s (HIMEDIA) obtained and respective volume of each extract was dispensed over the disc to attain 10 mcg concentrations each of the disc’s were dried and impregnated over the pre-inoculated plates. Finally the zone of inhibition was observed and the inhibitory zone was measured using zone inhibitory scale (HIMEDIA) and the values are noted in mm.