Abstract

ANTIBACTERIAL SCREENING OF ANDROGRAPHIS ECHIOIDES (L.) NEES AGAINST SELECTED HUMAN PATHOGENIC BACTERIA

Dr. T. Francis Xavier and D. Sathish Kumar*

Abstract

Andrographis echioides (L.) Nees is a valuable medicinal plant. The present study is to investigate the antibacterial activity of the various leaves and stem extracts of A. echioides. Shade dried plant leaf and stem of A. echioides were tested for antibacterial the antibacterial activity of different extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, methanol and ethanol) of leaves and stem of A. echioides using the standard disc diffusion assay against four gram-positive bacterial species, viz., Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus lentus, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus six gram-negative bacterial species viz., Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter amnigenus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella oxytoca and Brevibacterium paucivorans. Among various solvent extracts studied acetone, methanol and ethanol leaf and stem extract showed a highest antibacterial assay followed by chloroform and petroleum ether. No results found in petroleum ether leaf and stem extract against all test bacteria. Hence the present study justifies the claimed uses of this herb in the traditional system of medication to treat various sicknesses. This report is an antibacterial screening from A. echioides leaf and stem.

Keywords: Andrographis echioides, Antibacterial, Disc diffusion method.