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Antimicrobial and phytochemical studies on 45 Indian medicinal plants against multi-drug resistant human pathogens
1Department of Agricultural Microbiology, RAK Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, 202002 Aligarh, India.
Abstract:
Ethanolic extracts of 45 Indian medicinal plants traditionally used in medicine were studied for their antimicrobial activity against certain drug-resistant bacteria and a yeast Candida albicans of clinical origin. Of these, 40 plant extracts showed varied levels of antimicrobial activity against one or more test bacteria. Anticandidal activity was detected in 24 plant extracts. Overall, broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity was observed in 12 plants (L. inermis, Eucalyptus sp., H. antidysentrica, H. indicus, C. equistifolia. T. belerica, T. chebula, E. officinalis, C. sinensis, S. aromaticum and P. granatum). No correlation was observed between susceptibility of test strains with plant extracts and antibiotic resistance behaviour of the microbial strains (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella paratyphi, Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans). Qualitative phytochemical tests, thin layer chromatography and TLC-bioautography of certain active extracts demonstrated the presence of common phytocompounds in the plant extracts including phenols, tannins and flavonoids as major active constituents.
Insights
Indian medicinal plants show significant antimicrobial potential against drug-resistant bacteria and Candida albicans. Twelve plants exhibited broad-spectrum activity, indicating promising natural alternatives for infectious disease treatment.
Area of Science:
- Ethnomedicine
- Microbiology
- Phytochemistry
Background:
- Traditional Indian medicine utilizes numerous plant species for treating infections.
- The rise of drug-resistant pathogens necessitates the exploration of novel antimicrobial agents.
- Understanding the scientific basis of traditional remedies is crucial for modern therapeutics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of ethanolic extracts from 45 Indian medicinal plants.
- To identify plants with activity against drug-resistant bacteria and Candida albicans.
- To correlate phytochemical constituents with observed antimicrobial effects.
Main Methods:
- Ethanolic extracts of 45 plants were prepared and screened for antimicrobial activity.
- Microbial susceptibility testing was performed against drug-resistant bacterial strains and Candida albicans.
- Phytochemical analysis, including thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and TLC-bioautography, was conducted on active extracts.
Main Results:
- 40 out of 45 plant extracts demonstrated antimicrobial activity against at least one bacterial strain.
- 24 extracts exhibited anticandidal activity.
- Twelve plants displayed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, with phenols, tannins, and flavonoids identified as major constituents.
Conclusions:
- Ethanolic extracts of several Indian medicinal plants possess significant antimicrobial properties.
- These findings support the traditional use of these plants and highlight their potential as sources for new antimicrobial drugs.
- No correlation was found between plant extract susceptibility and the antibiotic resistance profiles of the tested microbes.