ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF FLAVONOIDS OF TRIDAX PROCUMBENS L. AGAINST PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS

Abstract

The present study was conducted to assess the antimicrobial potential of free and bound flavonoid extracts of pedicle and buds of Tridax procumbens L. T. procumbens (Family: Asteraceae) is an important medicinal plant, is used traditionally for the treatment of many diseases. In the present study, disc diffusion assay was performed against three bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabilis) and four fungi (Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes). Minimum inhibitory concentrations, minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations were evaluated for determination of antibiotic potential of the active extracts. Total activity of the extracts, against each sensitive test pathogen was also evaluated. The flavonoid extracts showed good antimicrobial activity against all the test pathogens except A. flavus against which none of the test extract showed activity. Free flavonoids from pedicle (active against 5 out of 7 test pathogens) and bound flavonoids from bud (active against 4 out of 7 pathogens) exhibited remarkable antimicrobial activity. S. aureus was the most susceptible microorganism which was sensitive towards all extracts. Result of the present study indicates that the antimicrobial flavonoids from T. procumbens could be used in developing noval antibacterial and antifungal drugs.