Abstract

IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITIES OF CRUDE LEAF EXTRACTS OF GMELINA ASIATICA L.

Augustian Rajam Florence* and Gnanasingh Seelial Regini Balasingh

Abstract

To examine the in vitro antibacterial activities of the crude extracts and essential oil extracted from Gmelina asiatica leaf for the control of human pathogenic bacteria such as Actinomyces howelli, Bacillus circulans, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris. Hydro distilled essential oils and aqueous, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and acetone extracts of G. asiatica were tested for antibacterial activity, which was determined by disc diffusion method. All the crude extract have moderate activity against all the tested pathogens and essential oils had very less antibacterial activity against Actinomyces, Bacillus and Proteus and did not display any potential of antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Escherichia and Pseudomonas and the activity was compared with standard antibiotic kanamycin. The findings led to the conclusion that G. asiatica leaf extract may be regarded as an antibacterial agent for the treatment of various bacterial diseases.

Keywords: Gmelina asiatica, antibacterial activity, agar disc diffusion method, standard antibiotic.