ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SOME FOLK MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN RAJASTHAN AGAINST SELECTED PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS

Objective: To investigate the antibacterial efficacy of methanol extracts of leaves and roots of B. diffusa, Eclipta alba, Phyllanthus niruri and Ricinus communis.Methods: The antimicrobial efficacy of methanol extracts of some medicinal plants was evaluated by agar well diffusion method against selected pathogenic bacterial strains. Gram+ve strains (S. aureus, B. subtilis) were tested and Gram-ve strains tested were (E. coli, S. typhii and K. pneumoniae). Antifungal activity against was tested.Results: B. diffusa and P. niruri leaf extract showed highest antibacterial activity against S. aureus and S. typhii. Leaf extract of P. niruri and R. communis showed highest antifungal activity against A. niger and C. albicans respectivelyConclusion: The methanolic leaf extracts of B. diffusa and P. niruri were highly active against S. aureus and S. typhii