Abstract

IN-VITRO SCREENING OF ANTIBACTERIAL EFFICACY OF CADABA FRUTICOSA (L.) AGAINST COMMON HUMAN PATHOGENS

V. Bharathi*, Shanthi. S. and G. Hemalatha

Abstract

Infectious diseases caused by Bacteria and Fungi are a growing global threat today, accounting for 50% of the death in tropical countries. Though, conventional drugs provide effective therapy against these infections, development of Multi Drug Resistance, high cost and adverse side effects of synthetic chemotherapeutics urged the researchers to search for an alternate, safe and natural remedy from enormous range of medicinal plants which is the treasure of India. In the current investigation, Cadaba fruticosa (L.) which is called as Vizhuthi, Adamorinika, Chikondi and Piluka in Tamil and Indian Cadaba in general is extracted with alcohol, chloroform and water and screened for its antibacterial activity against the common pathogens viz., S.aureus, Pseudomonas, Bacillus sp., E.coli. All the three extracts showed promising results in the control of pathogens. Alcohol fraction showed 17.4 mm zone of inhibition (ZOI), aqueous extract showed 16.8 mm zone of inhibition (ZOI) and chloroform fraction showed 11.9 mm zone of inhibition at 1600 μg concentration / well. S.aureus (17.4 mm) and E.coli (14.5mm) were highly sensitive to alcohol fraction. Pseudomonas was highly susceptible to chloroform fraction (14.7mm). In general, Bacillus was least sensitive to all the fractions.

Keywords: Infectious diseases, antibacterial activity, Alcohol fraction, chloroform fraction, zone of inhibition (ZOI).