Phytochemical Screening and Antibacterial Activity of Lawsonia inermis Leaf Extract

The present study is the continuation of a program aimed at investigation of antimicrobial and photochemical properties of Lawsonia inermis leaf extract to justify the traditional claim endowed upon this herbal drug as a rasayana in Ayurveda. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated according to the disk diffusion method by using Gram positive; B. subtilius, S. aureus and S. epidermidis and Gram negative; E. coli, S. flexneri, P. aeruginosa bacteria. This study show that methanolic leaves extracts of Lawsonia inermis Linn inhibit the growth of micro organisms dose dependently. Phytochemical screening of the extracts showed the presence of glycosides, phytosterol, steroids, saponins, tannins and flavonoids. The presence of flavonoids and glycosides as major constituents of the plant leaves that are commonly known to posses antimicrobial activity. These results confirm the antibacterial activity of Lawsonia inermis leaves and support the traditional use of the plant in therapy of bacterial infection.