Antibacterial activity

Plants are the most common source of antimicrobial agents. Their usage as traditional health remedies is most popular and it is reported to have minimal side effects. In the present communication, antibacterial activity of Tamarindus indica L have been reported that may be an alternative source to develop an alternative treatment of bacterial infection. Tamarindus indica L seeds were processed and tested for their antibacterial activity against clinically important Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Different processing methods were employed to the seeds of Tamarindus indica L such as soaking, dehulling, cooking, autoclaving and germination. Extraction of Tamarindus indica L seeds were carried out at 37˚C with methanol. The extracted materials was then determined for antibacterial activity by disk diffusion and growth inhibition studies method. The results showed that the extracts possessed the highest antibacterial activity against the bacteria, Enterobacter Sp. and Morexella Sp. Further the sensitivity of two pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli to the tannins of the processed tamarind seeds was tested. The highest activity was exhibited by the autoclaved seeds with 70.70% against Staphylococcus aureus and 46.21% against E. coli. The growth inhibition studies indicated that extracts of control, cooked and autoclaved seeds inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli more than soaked, dehulled and germinated seeds.. Similar results were obtained with the agar disc diffusion test. The potent components of Tamarindus indica L is suggested for further purification and determination of phytochemicals and other biological properties.

Different antibiotics were selected, two local brands and one multinational brand for the same antibiotic so that comparison will be quite easy. Antibiotics used during the research work were Ofixime (Cebosh, Megnet, Fixitile), Paramycin (Nebra, Eyebrex, Tobracin), Emoxicillin (Supramox, Polyxil, Ospamox). These antibiotics were checked for their potential as antibacterial agents against some gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains, by agar well diffusion method. Antibacterial activity was deliberated against five bacterial strains i-e Klebsiella pneumonia, E.Coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus Aureus and Flavobacterium Aureus.

The seaweed Hypnea valentiae was extracted with solvents hexane, acetone and methanol. In the preliminary screening, hexane extract showed wide spectrum activity against ten human bacterial pathogens. The maximum level inhibition was observed against Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Micrococcus luteus and minimum against Vibrio cholerae. The assessment of seasonal variation in antibacterial activity with hexane extract showed higher activity during postmonsoon season followed by summer, premonsoon and monsoon season. The epiphytic bacterial density on surface of Hypnea valentiae was 25 x 103 CFU/cm2. Ten epiphytic bacteria (HV1- HV10) was isolated and the strain HV10 showed higher activity which was identified based on the morphologically and biochemical character as Alcaligenes sp. It was further cultured and the culture supernatant was extracted with hexane, n-butanol and water. The n-butanol extract showed higher activity against Shigella flexneri and minimum against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus epidermis. The investigation has proved that seaweed Hypnea valentiae and its epiphytic bacterial strain could be the potential source of bioactive compounds of biomedical importance.