Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF ANTIBACTERIAL EFFICACY OF LEAF EXTRACTS OF INDIAN MEDICINAL TREES, AZADIRACHTA INDICA A.JUSS.AND VITEX NEGUNDO LINN.

Anu Swedha Ananthan* and N. Rashitha Begum

Abstract

In India, the burden of infectious diseases is enormous. Though significant improvements in socio-economic status have been done since independence, infectious diseases still contribute to 30% of disease burden in India.Many number of medicinal plants, traditionally used for over 1000 years are present in herbal preparations of Indian traditional health care systems. Azardichta indica A. Juss. And Vitex negundo Linn. are medicinal trees native to the Indian subcontinent credited with the ability to cure infection. The antibacterial efficacy of the crude leaf extracts of the two medicinal trees were studied with various pathogenic bacteria. The extracts which showed the highest activity were analysed and the minimum inhibitory concentration was determined. The leaf extracts of Azardichta indica exhibited maximum inhibition when compared to Vitex negundo extracts at a concentration of 100mg/ml.Thus, the leaf extracts of these medicinal trees can be effectively used for the treatment of infectious diseases.

Keywords: Infectious diseases, pathogens, antibacterial.