Studies
on Antimicrobial Activity of Boswellia serrata, Moringa oleifera and Vitex negundo: A comparison
Government
Ethanolic extracts of gum resin of Boswellia serrata, bark of Moringa oleifera and leaves of Vitex negundo were
subjected to preliminary screening for antimicrobial activity .All ethanolic extracts exhibited significant anti-microbial
activity comparable to the standard drug tetracycline. The mixture of all three
extracts together in equal concentration shows more inhibitory zone as compared
to other extracts.
Keywords: Boswellia serrata ,Moringa oleifera,Vitex
negundo, Antimicrobial.
INTRODUCTION
Since the time immemorial, our
traditional system of medicine and folklore claiming that medicinal plants as a
whole or their parts are being used in all types of skin diseases successfully
including antibacterial and antifungal. As we know very well, now a days the
medicinal preparation available in the market from which most of them either
not effective up to the mark or has to develop resistance resulting in
reoccurrence again. Plant derived drug serve as a prototype to develop more
effective and less toxic medicines.
Moringa oleifera
(Moringaceae)
is commonly known as Drumstick. It is a small or medium sized tree, about 10m
high , found wild in the sub-himalayan tract. It
contains various chemical constituents
such as alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids,
carbohydrates, amino acids, glycosides. Traditionally its roots are applied as
plaster to reduce the swelling and rheumatism.The
root ,flower, fruit and leaf have analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity.
Boswellia serrata (Burseraceae)
commonly known as Sallaki. It is a medium to large sized deciduous tree , commonly found in the dry
forests. It contains diterpene, alcohol, serratol, triterpenoids and
essential oil. The gum is credited with astringent, stimulant, expectorant,
diuretic, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, ecbolic, and antiseptic properties. The essential oil from
the olibanum showed anti-bacterial activity.
Vitex negundo
(Verbenaceae)
commonly known as Nirgundi. It is a large, aromatic
shrub , sometimes a small slender tree found throughout the greater part of the
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The methodology adopted to evaluate the
antimicrobial activity of three plants viz , Boswellia serrata ,Moringa oleifera and Vitex negundo hereunder.
Table no.1 Antimicrobial
Activity of Boswellia serrata,Moringa oleifera andVitex negundo
|
Treatment |
Conc. |
Diameter of zone of
inhibition (cm.) |
||||||
|
Bacteria |
Fungi |
|||||||
|
P.vulgaris |
B. subtilis |
E.coli |
S.aureus |
A.niger |
A.flavus |
C.albicans |
||
|
B.serrata |
5mg/ml |
1.8 |
1.7 |
2.3 |
2.0 |
1.7 |
1.8 |
1.2 |
|
M.oleifera |
5mg/ml |
1.5 |
1.3 |
1.4 |
2.1 |
2.5 |
1.9 |
2.0 |
|
V.negundo |
5mg/ml |
1.4 |
1.4 |
1.8 |
1.5 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
2.3 |
|
Mixture of B.serrata+ V.negundo +M.oleifera (1:1:1)
|
5mg/ml |
2.0 |
2.1 |
2.4 |
2.3 |
2.7 |
2.5 |
2.4 |
|
Standard (Tetracycline) |
10ug/ml |
2.1 |
2.3 |
2.6 |
2.4 |
3.5 |
3.8 |
2.7 |
Plant material:
Gum of Boswellia serrata,bark of Moringa oleifera and
leaves of Vitex negundo,were collected from Amravati
(M.S.). The collected material was authenticated by Dr.Prabha Y. Bhogaonkar,
Taxonomist, Vidarbha Institute of Science and
Humanities,
Extract preparation:
The collected materials were washed thoroughly in
water, chopped, air dried for a week at 35-40oC and pulverized in
electric grinder and exhaustively extracted
successively in soxhlet apparatus, using petroleum
ether, ethanol respectively.
The extracts were concentrated under reduced pressure
and were then made to powder. These powders
were dissolved in Dimethyl Sulphoxide.
These solutions extracts were used for analyzing the antimicrobial activity
against reference strains.
Microorganisms:
Four clinical strains E.coli (NCIM 2065), Proteus vulgaris
(NCIM 2813), Bacillus subtilis
(NCIM 2063), Staphylococcus aureus (NCIM 2608) were used for assesing
the antimicrobial activity with standard tetracycline (10ug/ml).
Two fungal strains Aspergillus
Antimicrobial activity:
Antimicrobial activity was determined by the Disc
Diffusion method. Muller Hinton and Saboured Dextrose
Broth were used as medium for bacterial and fungal strains respectively.
Control experiments were carried out under the similar condition by using
tetracycline(10ug/ml).
The petridishes with bacteria
and fungal cultures were incubated at 37+ 2oC for 24 hrs and
27+2oc for 48 hrs respectively. The assessment of
antimicrobial activity was based on the measurement of diameter of inhibition
zone formed by dissolving the plant material extract in Dimethyl
Sulphoxide and standard drug also. The experiment was
repeated thrice and results were taken as mean of these readings.
RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION:
The results of antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of Boswellia serrata, Moringa oleifera, and Vitex negundo are given in
table no.1.From the results it was found that when the three extracts were
mixed together in equal
concentration(1:1:1), it shows more inhibitory zone as compared to other
individual extracts. From these results we can concluded that some of the
components from the mixture of all three extracts exhibit the synergistic
action. It needs the isolation of the active component from these extracts that
exhibit synergistic action against bacteria.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
The authors are thankful to staff , Govt. College of
Pharmacy, Amravati(M.S.) for providing necessary facilities and support to carry
out this work.
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Received on 24.02.2009
Accepted on 15.05.2009
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Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 1(1): July.-Aug. 2009, 75-77