ANTIMICROBIAL SCREENING OF SELECTED MEDICINAL-PLANTS FROM INDIA

From the Indian traditional medicines 78 plants were selected on the b asis of their use in the treatment of infectious diseases. Different c oncentrations of 80% ethanol extracts were tested, using the agar dilu tion method, against four bacteria: Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coil and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and, using the aga r-well diffusion method, against two fungi: Candida albicans and Asper gillus niger. In the lowest tested concentration of 1.6 mg/ml, 10% of the plant extracts were active; 44% in a concentration of 6.25 mg/ml a nd 90% of the plant extracts were active against at least two bacteria in a concentration of 25 mg/ml. Only 13% of the plant extracts were a ctive against at least one fungus in a concentration of 50 mg/ml. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.