Antimicrobial Activity of Vitex Negundo Linn. (Nirgundi) Leaves Extract

Abstract

Background: Drug resistance to human pathogenic bacteria has been commonly reported from all over the world in recent years. Therefore there arises a need to develop alternative antimicrobial drugs for the treatment of infectious diseases. Aims: To evaluate the antimicrobial potential of Vitex negundo Linn. (Nirgundi) leaf in vitro on both gram positive and gram negative organism. Material and Methods: Antimicrobial activity of ethanol extract of Vitex negundo Linn. leaves was carried out by adopting well diffusion method upon pure culture of Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC- 25923) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC- 27736) bacteria procured from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). In the present study the concentration of 20 mg/ml, 40 mg/ml, 60 mg/ml, 80 mg/ml, 100 mg/ml of leaf extract was used. Results: The result showed the antimicrobial activities against all the above bacterial pathogens studied. The maximum zone of inhibition observed for S. aureus was 15 mm at the concentration of 80 mg/ml and 100 mg/ml and for E. coli and K. pneumoniae maximum ZOI noted was 12 mm and 11 mm at 100 mg/ml concentration respectively. Conclusion: The results suggested that the leaf extract of Vitex negundo Linn. indeed possessed signican't antimicrobial activity against all the bacteria tested but the effect was greater towards S aureus.