Antibacterial Activity of Justicia betonica Linn

Justicia betonica L. (Acanthaceae) is widely used as a traditional folk medicinal herb. Conventionally, the plant is used to cure constipation, diarrhea, malaria, pain, stomach ache, vomiting, etc. The plant possesses many therapeutic uses such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, and antimicrobial properties. The present work has been designed to document the ethnomedicinal properties, phytochemistry, and antibacterial activity of J. betonica. Phytochemical results showed that the presence of wide variety of biologically active compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, and phenolic compounds might be responsible for therapeutic values of Justicia betonica. Antibacterial activity showed that the inhibition was observed with the individual extracts and was effective against all bacterial strains tested. The present study highlights the importance of J. betonica