PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF KYDIA CALYCINA ROXB., AERIAL PARTS

Abstract

Back ground : Herbal remedies used in traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances which are used to treat acute and chronic infectious diseases. The development of drug resistance in human pathogens against normally used antibiotics has necessitated a search for new antimicrobial agents from other natural sources mostly plants. This study was undertaken to investigate the in vitro response of the extracts and soluble fractions of Kydia calycina Roxb., aerial parts against eight pathogenic bacterial strains Method: Using agar cup plate method the hydro alcoholic (methanol 80%) extract, hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol soluble fractions of Kydia calycina Roxb. aerial parts were subjected to antibacterial activity at the concentrations of 20,40, 80 and 160mg/ml. The solvent control was run simultaneously to assess the activity of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) which were used as a vehicle alongside the standard drug Rifampicine. Result: From the results it was observed that the hydro alcoholic (methanol 80%) extract of Kydia calycina exhibited significant antibacterial activity at the concentrations tested. At the concentrations of 25 and 50mg/ml, the hexane and ethyl acetate soluble fractions showed significant inhibitory effect against Basillus megaterium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris and moderately against Streptococcus pneumonia, Bacillus subtilis and E. coli . Conclusion: The demonstration of antimicrobial activity against the bacteria strains is an indication that the plants are potential sources for production of drugs with a broad spectrum of activity. The results of the study also support the traditional applications of the plants and suggest that the plant extracts possess compounds with antibacterial properties that can be used as antimicrobial agents.