Abstract
The antibacterial property of methanol, ethanol, chloroform and hexane extracts of Kumaun Himalayan gymnospermous plant Biota orientalis leaves were investigated against some pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Erwinia chrysanthemi and Xanthomonas phaseoli) using disc diffusion method. Methanol extract showed the highest inhibitory activity against B. subtilis (ZOI, 16 mm), followed by ethanol extract (14 to 16 mm), chloroform extract (12 to 15 mm) while lowest inhibition was recorded in hexane extract. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were determined and recorded in the range 62.5 to 500 µg/ml and 125 to 500 µg/ml, respectively. The lowest MIC value 62.5 µg/ml was recorded against B. subtilis and E. chrysanthemi in the methanol extract whereas the lowest MBC value 125 µg/ml was recorded against B. subtilis in the same extract. The aqueous extract was found totally inactive against all the pathogens tested. Key words: Biota orientalis, antibacterial activity, disc diffusion, gymnosperms and plant extracts.
Highlights
Plants and plant extracts have been utilized as medicines since time immemorial (Samuelsson, 2004)
The lowest Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value 62.5 μg/ml was recorded against B. subtilis and E. chrysanthemi in the methanol extract whereas the lowest minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value 125 μg/ml was recorded against B. subtilis in the same extract
MIC and MBC values for the microorganisms sensitive to the methanol extract were in the range of 62.5 to 125 μg/ml and 125 to 500 μg/ml, respectively
Summary
Plants and plant extracts have been utilized as medicines since time immemorial (Samuelsson, 2004). World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 80% populations of developing countries depend on the traditional medicine for their primary health care needs, while 85% people in third world use plants or their extracts as the active substances in health care system (Shome et al, 1996; Sheldon et al, 1998). Several studies indicated the presence of many compounds with antimicrobial properties in plants or plant parts During the last few years most of the phytochemical studies on this plant species focused on the terpene composition of the essential oil, where α-pinene and α-cedrol have been reported as the major constituents of the leaf oil (Chen et al, 1984; Li and Liu, 1997; Nickavar et al, 2003). (b) an attempt to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of aerial parts of Kumaun Himalayan gymnospermous plants B. orientalis
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