Abstract

STUDY OF ENDOPHYTIC BACTERIA FROM Aegle marmelos

Aditee A. Londhe and Chanda Parulekar Berde*

Abstract

Man cannot survive on earth for long time without plants. A number of traditional herbal medicinal plants are used for management of various diseases. Therapeutic use of medicinal plants has become popular because of its inability to cause side effects and combat antibiotic resistance in microorganisms. Aegle marmelos is one of the most important medicinal plants. All parts of plant such as leaves, root, flower, fruit, and seeds have medicinal properties. Aegle marmelos shows anticancer, antidiabetic, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory activities. The present study was carried out on the endophytic bacteria of this plant. Endophytic bacteria are one of the most potential biological control agents in disease protection. These endophytes are also used to obtain the bioactive compounds and applied in biotransformation process. They improve the phyto-remediation of water soluble, volatile organic pollutants. Endophytic colonizing bacteria from Aegle marmelos (Balefal) were isolated and characterized. Their colony and Gram characteristics were studied. Antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the cultures were analyzed and results of the same are presented. The secondary metabolites produced by these cultures were further studied by extracting these compounds. Thus in the near future, Aegle marmelos (Baelfal) extract could be further exploited as a source of useful phytochemical compounds & may play a very important role in modern system of medicine.

Keywords: Endophytic bacteria, Aegle marmelos, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-oxidant.