Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF AILANTHUS EXCELSA ROXB. COLLECTED FROM COIMBATORE DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

A.Manikandan*, R. Rajendran, S. Balachandar, M.S. Sanumol and M. Mary Sweety

ABSTRACT

Antimicrobial activity of leaf extract of Ailanthus excelsa Roxb. was studied using different solvents chloroform, ethanol, methanol and water against clinical isolates of Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungal strains of Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus fumigates. The antimicrobial activity was determined by disc diffusion method. The crude plant extracts demonstrated broad spectrum activity against all the pathogens. The highest inhibitory zone was observed in ethanolic extract of Ailanthus excelsa. The antibacterial activity could be confirmed in most species used in traditional medicine in South India. Nevertheless, traditional knowledge might provide some leads to elucidate potential candidates. The present study will be successful in identifying candidate plant with different antimicrobial activity which could be further exploited for isolation and characterization of the novel phytochemicals in the treatment of infectious disease especially in light of the emergence of drug resistant microorganisms and the need to produce more effective antimicrobial agents.

Keywords: Ailanthus excelsa Roxb, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus fumigates, Penicillium chrysogenum.