EVALUATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF HERBS

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been used for centuries as remedies for human diseases because they contain components of therapeutic value. The acceptance of traditional medicine as an alternative form of health care and the development of microbial resistance to the available antibiotics has led researchers to investigate the antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants. Wild plants have been reported to have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties for centuries, and indigenous plants have been used in herbal medicine for curing various diseases. The development of bacterial resistance to currently available antibiotics has necessitated the search for new antibacterial agents. In lieu of the above justification, present study aimed at evaluating the In vitro antibacterial studies on the extracts of three herbs namely Punica Granatum, Ricinus communis and Zingiber officinalis carried out on five medically important bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris). Based on the present investigation results, extracts has great potential against different microorganisms tested and has inhibitory effect. It can be concluded that these plants can be used as therapeutic natural agents that may serve as lead for the development of new pharmaceuticals addressing the major therapeutic needs.