Antimicrobial evaluation of leaves of Balanites aegyptiaca (Linn.) Delile. & Moringa oleifera Lam.

Background : Balanites aegyptiaca (Linn.) Delile. & Moringa oleifera Lam. are well known drugs in Ayurveda for their wound healing property as they possess krimighna action or ability to kill foreign pathogens. Ingudi & Shigru leaves are used for wound healing purpose. Therefore leaves of both the plants were selected for antimicrobial study against surgical wound infection causative organisms. Methods: Both aqueous and alcoholic extracts of leaves of both plants at 10, 20, 30% concentrations were tested for antimicrobial activity by agar well diffusion method against a range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Zone of inhibition of extracts were determined, then activity index & IC50 value was calculated. Results: Both ethanol and aqueous extracts of Balanites aegyptiaca (Linn.) Delile. & Moringa oleifera Lam. inhibited the growth of all the tested strains of bacteria. Aqueous extract of Balanites aegyptiaca (Linn.) Delile has more potent action against microorganism Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes, ZOI (15mm,11mm,19mm respectively), AI(0.6, 0.61, 0.70 resp.), IC50 (1.778, 1.586, 1.196 resp.). Conclusion: Leaves of Balanites aegyptiaca (Linn.) Delile possess good antimicrobial effects against microorganism Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenes compared to Moringa oleifera Lam. Efficacy is very much significant against Klebsiella aerogenes.Â