EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF THE FRUITS OF CUCUMIS TRIGONUS ROXB.

Abstract

The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the successive extracts (petroleum ether (40-60ºC), benzene, chloroform, ethanol and water) of the fruit of Cucumis trigonus Roxb. (Fam. Cucurbitaceae) have been carried out against three gram positive bacteria, Bacillus cereus, Baccillus subtilis, Streptococcus faecalis, three gram negative bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella aerogenos, Proteaus vulgaris and two fungi, Candida albicans, Asparagillus flavans by using disk diffusion method. Zones of inhibition of the extracts have been compared with that of the standard antibiotics. The petroleum ether (40- 60ºC) and chloroform extracts showed no activity while the ethanolic extract showed more activity than the benzene and aqueous extracts. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the ethanolic extract of the fruit of Cucumis trigonus has also been determined. The results indicate that Cucumis trigonus is a potential antiseptic for the prevention and treatment of microbial infections.