Evaluation of Antibacterial Activity from Rhizome Extract of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Acorus calamus </i>Linn

623-625Antibacterial activity of Acorus calamus rhizomes was evaluated in vitro. Different concentrations of petroleum ether extract (50-2000 µg) were tested and the anti microbial activity was observed from 500 µg and the zone of inhibition increased with concentration. The maximum activity was observed at 2000 µg the highest concentration tested, beyond which the inhibition zone did not increase. Among the four types of bacteria tested, high inhibition zone was observed on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.62 cm) followed by Staphylococcus aureus (1.62 cm). Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis showed smaller zone of inhibition (1.34 and 1.04 cm, respectively). MIC test showed that the minimum inhibition concentration was 0.25 mg/mL for P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, B. subtilis and 0.5 mg/mL for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">E. coli