Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF STEM BARK OF OUGEINIA OOJEINENSIS (ROXB.)HOCHR

Mohan Mandrekar,Vedita Hedge Desai, Madhusudan Joshi,Yogita sardessai, Arun Joshi 

Abstract

Ougeinia oojeinensis (Roxb.) Hochr, is an ethnomedicinal plant of Western Ghats seen in deciduous forests. Since ancient times, plant bark has been used to treat several ailments based on traditional knowledge such as inflammation, constipation, leprosy, skin allergy, leucoderma, diarrhoea, dysentery, gonorrhoea, and diabetes. It is also useful in vitiated conditions like urrorrhagia, verminosis, haemorrhages, fever, ulcers, and general debility. This investigation was carried out to assess the antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract of its stem bark. This is a first report of antimicrobial study done on this plant. Methodology: The stem bark was collected, washed and dried completely. The dried bark was then coarsely powdered .Approximately 100gm of the powdered drug was extracted with 0.5 litre of ethanol (95%) by using the cold maceration technique for three days with occasional shaking. After completion of three days, the ethanol layer was decanted off. The process of maceration was repeated thrice. The solvent from total extract was distilled off and the concentrate was evaporated to syrupy consistency and then evaporated to dryness. The antimicrobial activity was screened by using agar diffusion method against 10 bacterial strains and 1 fungal strain. Result: The ethanolic extract of Ougeinia oojeinensis was found to exert significant antimicrobial activity against all the tested bacteria particularly against Salmonella typhimurium and the yeast Candida albicans. Conclusion: The claim on use of this plant bark in folk medicine is justified and extract has phytoconstituents which have potential anti-candidiasis and anti-salmonella properities

Keywords: Ougeinia oojeinensis (Roxb.) Hochr, Salmonella typhimurium, Candida albicans.