Abstract

ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITIES OF PETROLEUM ETHER, ACETONE, METHANOL AND AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF 10 COMMON FLOWERS.

*Tom K. Mathew and Dr. Benny P. J.

ABSTRACT

Fresh flowers of Anacardium occidentale L., Callistemon citrinus (Curtis) Skeels, Chassalia curviflora (Wall. ex Kurz) Thw., Datura stramonium L., Garcinia gummi-gutta (L.) Robs., Mangifera indica L., Moringa oleifera Gaertn., Plumeria obtusa L., Psidium guajava L. and Wrightia tinctoria (Roxb.) R. Br. were subjected to serial exhaustive extraction in petroleum ether, acetone, methanol and distilled water. The extracts obtained were screened for antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus MTCC 96, Escherichia coli MTCC 443, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 741, Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae MTCC 432 and Serratia
marcescens MTCC 97 by disc diffusion method. A total of 200 discs belonging to 4 extracts of 10 flowers against 5 bacteria strains were tested. Results shows that 132 discs showed zones of inhibition. In them 45 discs contained methanol extracts, 38 discs acetone extracts, 35 discs aqueous extracts and 14 discs contained petroleum ether extract. All bacteria were sensitive to methanol extracts of 9 flowers and acetone extracts of 7 flowers. Acetone and methanol extracts M.indica and C.citrinus and M.oleifera flowers produced large zones of inhibition measuring 16 to 25 mm against one or more bacterial strains. Evidently methanol and acetone extracts of these flowers are rich sources of antibacterial secondary metabolites.

Keywords: Flowers, Acetone, Methanol, Petroleum ether, Aqueous, Extracts, Antibacterial, Moringa, Mangifera, Callistemon.