DETERMINATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF Plumbago zeylanica L.

Abstract

Background: Numerous studies have been conducted on antimicrobial properties that may be useful to overcome the emerging antimicrobial resistance. Plumbago zeylanica (Ela nitul) is especially known as Ceylon leadwort. Plumbago zeylanica has been used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases, including skin rashes, scabies, ringworm, hookworms, dermatitis, acne, sores, and ulcers.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to study the antimicrobial activity of P. zeylanica against a selected panel of pathogenic microorganisms in vitro and to screen the presence of phytochemicals in the aqueous extracts of P. zeylanica root, leaf, stem qualitatively.

Material and Methods: The antibacterial effect of aqueous extracts of roots, leaves and stems of Plumbago zeylanica against Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumanniii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and antifungal effect against Candida albicans were studied using well diffusion assay and macro-dilution method. Qualitative screening of the phytochemicals was done using standard methods.

Results: Among the panel of organisms, Candida albicans exhibited the highest susceptibility against root extract of P. zeylanica followed by other organisms including Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, respectively. In qualitative analysis, secondary phytochemicals including alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, taninns, chalcones, were determined in the aqueous extract root, leaf and stem, respectively.

Conclusion: Plumbago zeylanica root extract has exhibited stronger antifungal and antibacterial activity rather than the leaf extract. Stem extract of Plumbago zeylanica didn't show antimicrobial activity against selected organisms. The presence and absence of phytochemicals in different plant materials explain the antimicrobial properties of root, leaf and stem of P. zeylanica.