In-Vitro Antimicrobial Potency and Pharmacological Study of Flower extracts in different polar solvents of Withania somnifera

ABSTRACT: The flower of Withania somnifera were evaluated against medically important bacteria viz. Proteus merabilis, Klebsiella pnemoniae, Agerobacterium tumefaciens (plant pathogen) and one fungi Aspergillus niger. The dried and powdered flowers were successively extracted with a series of non polar to polar solvents using soxhlet assembly. The antimicrobial assay was done by both disc diffusion assay (DDA) and broath dilution methods. Glacial acetic acid extract and iso propyl extract of W. somnifera show highest activity against A. tumefaciens (plant pathogen) to varying degrees, by most of the extracts. Gentamycin, the standard antibacterial drug used was effective in inhibiting these bacteria. The effect on A. tumefaciens and K. pneumoniae were comparable to that of gentamycin. Ketoconazole the standard anti fungi used was effective against the fungi. The extract of W. somnifera also significantly (P>0.005) inhibited the bacterial and fungal growth. The inhibitory effect is very identical in magnitude and comparable with that of standard antibiotics used