IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL STUDIES OF STEREOSPERMUM COLAIS LEAF EXTRACTS

Aim: To screen the various extract of leaves of Stereospermum colais for antibacterial and antifungal activity against few clinically important pathogenic bacteria and fungi.Methods: The various successive solvent extracts viz., n-hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, ethanol and water were screened for its antimicrobial activity. The test organisms used for antibacterial study includes fresh clinical strains isolated from pathologic specimens viz., gram (+ve) Coagulase negative Staphylococcus, Entero cocci, Staphylo coccus aureus, and gram (-ve) Acinetobacter, Citrobacter,Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aureginosa, Salmonella typhi and Salmonella paratyphi. The antibacterial activity was assessed by Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and agar disc diffusion method. The antifungal activity was assessed by MIC. For antifungal activity, the fungistudied were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans.Results: Comparison of antibacterial activity was done with standard antibiotic ciprofloxacin (5μg/disc). The ethanol and chloroform extract showed maximum antibacterial activity followed by ethyl acetate,aqueous and n-hexane. The ethanol extract showed inhibitory effect against all fungi except Aspergillus flavus. Chloroform extract showed activity against Candida albicans. The other extracts showed significant inhibition on the growth of fungi.Conclusion: The various extracts of Stereospermum colais leaves have potential antibacterial and antifungal activity and can be used as new source for antibacterial and antifungal drugs.