Antibacterial Activity of Leaf Extracts of Aloe Vera, Ocimum Sanctum and Sesbania Grandiflora against the Gram Positive Bacteria

Abstract

Diseases have been managed traditionally using medicinal plants, as they contain components of therapeutic value. In view of this, in the present investigation, phytochemical analysis of aqueous, ethanol and chloroform extracts of some herbal leaves like Aloe vera, Ocimum sanctum and Sesbania grandiflora and their antibacterial activities against Gram positive bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermis, Streptococcus mutans, S. pyogenes, S. pneumoniae, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus cerus and B. subtilis were investigated. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of triterpenoid, phenol and tannin in all the extracts of the selected plants. All the leaf extracts of the selected plants inhibited the growth of the test organisms and exhibited antibacterial activity. However, the majority of the bacterial species were susceptible to all the extracts of O. sanctum, when compared to A. vera and S. grandiflora. This work supports the traditional use of these plants and the therapeutic value against bacterial pathogens, so that they can be alternate antibacterial agents in future.