Antibacterial Evaluation of Some Common Medicinal Plants Used in Asava and Arishta Preparation

Various medicinal properties have been attributed to natural herbs. The use of traditional medicine is widespread in India. These herbal remedies are an important source for the discovery of new antimicrobials against the resistant strains of bacteria. Asavas and Arishtas are specially prepared ayurvedic medicines. They are alcoholic solutions containing all the active ingredients of the drugs of which they are compounded. Asavas are prepared by using herbal juices or herbs soaked in water while Arishtas are prepared by decoction. Different parts of medicinal plants are used traditionally for the preparation of specific asava or arishta that is effective against specific disorder. About 25 different medicinal plants commonly used were selected. Dried powders of these plants were extracted in water. The antibacterial activity of the extracts were then tested by agar well diffusion method against standard cultures of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus thuringenesis. The individual extracts of Emblica officinalis, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica and Woodfordia fructicosa, Jaggery were active against the test pathogens. A combination of these raw materials as cited in literature commonly called as Lohasava, Punnarnavasava, Amritarishtha and Kirayatikadha were prepared and were found to be more effective than individual raw materials. INTRODUCTION: Nature has been the source of medicinal agents since times immemorial. The importance of herbs in the management of human ailments cannot be overemphasized 1 . World Health Organization indicates that primary health needs of countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are met by traditional medicines. Such traditional medicines are adapted to industrialized countries as Complementary or Alternative Medicines (CAM) 2 .