Biological Screening of Eichornia crassipes against Different Pathogenic Microbes: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

The present research is a biological screening ofEichornia crassipes(Pontederiaceae). Dichloromethane and methanol extracts of the whole plant were investigated for their antibacterial, antifungal, phytotoxic, and cytotoxic activities. The antibacterial activity was evaluated using agar well-diffusion method againstBacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,andSalmonellatyphi. The antifungal activity was evaluated using the agar tube–dilution method againstCandida albicans,Candida glabrata,Aspergillus flavus,Microsporum canis,andFusarium solani. The phytotoxicity activity was determined using Lemna bioassay againstLemna minor. Brine shrimp– cytotoxicity assay was determined against brine-shrimp larvae. Dichloromethane extract exhibited significant phytotoxicity (100% growth regulation) at 1,000 μg/ml concentration againstLemna minorwhereas methanolic extracts showed moderate (75% growth regulation) phytotoxicity at the same concentration. Methanolic extract showed cytotoxicity at the highest level of dose whereas dichloromethane extract showed no activity having Etoposide as standard drug. Both of the extracts have nonsignificant antifungal and antibacterial activity.