Evaluation of the Antibacterial Potential of Some Plants Against Human Pathogenic Bacteria

Plants are rich source of antibacterial agents, which could be exploited in human disease management. Aqueous extracts of leaves of 46 plants selected based on an ethnobotanical survey from Mysore region Karnataka (India) were subjected to in vitro antibacterial activity assay against 14 important human pathogenic bacteria employing cup diffusion method. Antibacterial activity of the twelve plants aqueous extracts was compared with antibiotics. MIC was determined for aqueous extracts of the plants that recorded antibacterial activity. It is indicated that only twelve plants (26%) exhibited antibacterial activity against test pathogens and the spectrum of activity was varied among the pathogens. The inhibitory activity was highly significant in the aqueous extracts of Acacia nilotica, Oxalis corniculata and Lawsonia inermis. Most of the plant extracts showed significant antibacterial activity than bacitracin. MIC of aqueous extract of twelve plants varied between 4-50 μl. Results indicate the potential of these plants for further work on isolation and characterization of the active principle responsible for antibacterial activity and its exploitation as therapeutic agent.