ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF THE WHOLE PLANT OF CARALLUMA NILAGIRIANA KUMARI ET SUBBA RAO – AN ENDEMIC MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES.

Abstract

The methanolic, aqueous and chloroform extracts of the endemic medicinal plant species of Caralluma nilagiriana were studied for antibacterial activities against five microorganisms. The zone of inhibition of various extracts was compared with standard tetracycline(30µg/ml). The antibacterial activity justifies its use in traditional medicine. In Salmonella typhi. Escherichia. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus all the three extracts(30µg/ml) was found to have significant antimicrobial activity, but less than that of standard tetracycline. In Klebsiella pneumonia all the three extracts were highly active when compared to standard. But in Pseudomonas aeroginosa the methanolic extracts strongly inhibited the colonial growth against the standard.The other two extracts found to have antimicrobial potency but less than that of standard.