Preeti Sharma

Biofilms are the main cause for increase in virulence and antibiotic resistance of microorganisms. Both gram positive and gram negative pathogens are known to produce biofilms. Due to the production of biofilm the bacteria adhere to the surface strongly and are protected from any antibiotic agents. The present study is aimed to inhibit the biofilms produced by gram negative E. coli isolated from UTI samples (UPEC), using plant extracts. Plants like Magnifera indica, Punica granatum, Catharanthus roseus and Manikara zapota were extracted to check for their antimicrobial as well as antibiofilm activity by well diffusion assay and biofilm assay. All the plant extracts were screened for antibiofilm activity. The result indicated that Punica granatum extract had a good inhibition capacity. The further scope in this field of study is to target AHL formation and hence, inhibit biofilm. The inhibition of biofilm helps in reducing many infections due to reduction in the virulence of bacteria that is mainly due to formation of biofilm, making the pathogens weak and more susceptible to antimicrobial agents.

Human beings have used plants for the treatment of diverse ailments for thousands of years. Plant derived chemicals are detoxify carcinogens therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate antibacterial and antimutagenic potential of A.oppositifolia and L.leucocephala. Three different solvent extracts of both plants were used to screen antimicrobial activity against two human pathogenic bacteria: E.coli (gram negative) and B.subtilis (gram positive) by disk diffusion assay and MIC also determined by using microdilution assay and antimutagenic potential screened by employing AMESassay against direct acting mutagen Etbr with S. typhimurium TA100 and TA98 strains.The range of antibacterial activity in A. oppositifolia varied from 17±0.73mm to 25±0.8mmagainst E.coli and 18±0.16 to 24±0.14 mm zone of inhibition against B. subtiliswhile, this ranged varied from 12±0.21to 27±0.47mm against E. coli.and19±0.5 to 25±0.26 mm against B. subtilis in L. leucocephala. The antimutagenic range of inhibition percentage varied in A. oppositifolia from 57.97% to 98.93% with TA98 and 84.67% to 99.65 with TA 100. In L. leucocephala the range varied from 5.85% to79.78% with TA98 and 93.93% to 99.54% with TA100. Among all extracts chloroform& acetone extract of A.oppositifoliaandmethanol & acetone extract of L. leucocephalahas got highest antimutagenic and antibacterial potential. Finding of the results we reported that, all the extracts possess significant antibacterial and antimutagenic activityso these plants can be used in the treatment of variety of ailments.