ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF CASSIA FISTULA LINN. LEGUMES

Abstract

Cassia fistula Linn. (Leguminoseae), commonly known as the Golden Shower, Indian Laburnum. Cassia fistula trees as leguminous plants are popularly grown in Thailand. It is native to India, the Amazon and Sri Lanka and diffused in various countries including Mexico, China, Mauritius, South Africa, East Africa, and West Indies. The antibacterial activities of the petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyle acetate, methanolic and 50% (v/v) hydro alcoholic successive extracts of Cassia fistula (L) fruits were studied. The extracts of Cassia fistula were tested in vitro against 4 bacterial species by the disc diffusion method. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus epidermidis, Escherchia coli and Klebsiella Pneumoniae were used in this investigation. Only methanolic extract exhibited fair antibacterial activity against all the test bacteria whereas other extract were not observed to inhibit the growth of any of the test bacteria under study. Aragvadha (Cassia fistula Linn.) is a well known, commonly used plant in various disorders in Ayurvedic system of medicine. In traditional medicine, it is used in the treatment of hematemesis, pruritis, intestinal disorders, leucoderma, diabetes, & as antipyretic, analgesic & laxative.