Antimicrobial Potential of Leaf Extracts of Ten Mangrove Species from Indian Sundarban Madhurima Bakshi and Punarbasu Chaudhuri

Mangroves have wide applications in folk medicine since ages due to the presence of several bioactive compounds. This study aims to explore the antimicrobial activity of ten mangroves commonly found in Indian Sundarban region namely Avicennia alba, Avicennia marina, Avicennia officinalis, Excoecaria agallocha, Sonneratia caseolaris, Sonneratia apetela,Aegiceres corniculatum, Acanthus ilicifolius, Nypa fruticans and Ceriops decandra. Different leaf extracts were prepared and used for disc assay against Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus flavus and Tricophyton rubrum with different concentrations. Avicennia marina, Avicennia alba, Acanthus ilicifolius, Ceriops decandra and Excoecaria agallocha showed better antimicrobial potential than the others. Additionally, Acanthus ilicifolius and Avicennia marina extracts were most active in the lowest concentration. The highest activity was shown by acetone extract of Avicennia alba against Staphylococcus aureus where diameter of the zone of inhibition was 15.6 mm followed by ethyl acetate extract of Avicennia alba with 11.9 mm zone of inhibition.