Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL EFFICACY OF MESUA FERREA L. SEED EXTRACTS AND SOME ISOLATED COMPOUNDS IN DIFFERENT SOLVENTS AGAINST INFECTION CAUSING PATHOGENIC STRAINS

Faizan Danish Khaleel*, B. K. Mehta and Darshana Mehta

Abstract

Objective: To study the antimicrobial potential of Mesua ferrea (M. ferrea) L. seed extracts employed for antimicrobial assay. Methods: The plant powder was extracted in several different solvents of increasing polarities against a wide spectrum of microbial strains. Agar disc diffusion method was employed for antimicrobial assay at the concentration of 300 μg/disc. Gram-positive bacteria were most susceptible and yeast was most resistant. Results: The results were compared with the zones of inhibition produced by commercially available standard antibiotics. The hexane and methanol extracts of M. ferrea L. showed more activity towards Gram positive bacteria along with compound A9. Conclusion: These results indicate that activity could be attributed to the presence of essential oil, xanthones and coumarines present within the seed of this plant.

Keywords: Antimicrobial activity; Mesua ferrea L.; Seed; Organic solvents; Microorganism.