Evaluation of antibacterial activity of different solvent extracts of medicinal plant: Cleome viscosa Linn.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study deals with evaluation of antibacterial activity of the medicinal plant Cleome viscosa Linn. traditionally used in the treatment of communicable diseases. Materials and Methods: The plant was taxonomically identified and dried whole plant of C. viscosa Linn. was defatted with n-hexane (60–80°C) in a Soxhlet apparatus. The defatted powder material thus obtained was further extracted successively with chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water to afford corresponding fractions. Standard strains of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus purchased from the Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India. Antibacterial activities of the extracts were determined by the microbroth dilution assay. Results and Discussion: Plant extracts showed good bactericidal activity. Among the plant extracts, water and ethanol extract showed potent antibacterial activity against all the five bacteria, especially against Gram-negative bacteria E. coli, S. typhi, and P. aeruginosa followed by ethanol extract, whereas chloroform extract showed minimal bactericidal activity. Conclusion: The findings provide support for the use of these plants in traditional medicine for the treatment of infectious disease and are thus potential sources of drugs that would need to be subjected to further studies.