A Comparative in Vitro Antibacterial Activity Study on Indian Medicinal Plants

Objective: The aim of the study was to find the anti bacterial activity of five Indian medicinal plants namely, Abutilon indicum, Azadirachta indica, Leucas aspera, Ocimum sanctum and Vitex negundo against human pathogens Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia.

Methods: The methanol, acetone, and ethanol leaf extracts were studied for their activity against human pathogens using well diffusion method.

Results: The results of this study showed that acetone extracts of all the five medicinal plants used against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia revealed better antibacterial activity compared to those of methanol and ethanol extracts. Further, the acetone leaf extract of Vitex negundo exhibited maximum inhibition zone against K. pneumonia and B. subtilis than the other acetone leaf extracts of medicinal plants experimented in the study. The maximum zone of inhibition (20 mm and 19 mm respectively) of acetone leaf extract of Vitex negundo was against Klebsiella pneumonia and Bacillus subtilis. The acetone leaf extract of Leucas aspera showed minimum inhibitory antibacterial activity (7 mm inhibitory zone) against E. coli. Whereas, the leaf extracts of Abutilon indicum, Azadirachta indica and Ocimum sanctum showed moderate antibacterial activity (between 8 and 13 mm).

Conclusion: The study records the in vitro validation for the traditional use of these herbals in the treatment of bacterial infections. However, further clinical studies are required for assessing the real potentials and safety aspects of these herbal drugs.