IMPACT OF PLANT EXTRACT, COCCINIA GRANDIS ON DIGESTIVE TRACT MICROFLORA

Abstract

Secondary metabolites of plant extracts are effective to maintain the health status of the living organisms, mainly on the digestive system of animals. Coccinia grandis is a source of nutrient with abundance of effective microorganisms to digest the consumed foods on one hand and improve the health status of consumer on the other hand. With this background in the present study effectiveness of various organic solvent extracts of C.grandis on the intestinal microbial population was screened. Among the various extracts of Coccinia grandis studied ethanol extract of Coccinia grandis exhibited a profound increase in THBP in all the regions of the gut and the percentage increase was 30, 13 and 13 at 75 ug/ml and was 43, 40.5 and 45 at 100 ug/ml in foregut, midgut and hindgut respectively. In the case of ethanol extract Coccinia grandis at the concentration of 100 ug/ml Pseudomonas sp., Proteus sp., Achromobacter sp., Flavobacterium sp and E.coli were found to increase in colony wise. No much variation was observed in the microbial population of Staphylococcus sp. where as a profound elimination of microbial population in case of Micrococcus sp., Streptococcus sp. and Bacillus sp.