Abstract

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF OPUNTIA STRICTA (FLOWERS)

D. Prabhakaran*, A. Rajeshkanna and M. M. Senthamilselvi

ABSTRACT

A large number of medicinal plants are claimed to be useful in treating skin diseases in all traditional system of medicine. The purpose of the present study was to examine the antimicrobial effect of the sample from the ethylacetate fraction of flowers of Opuntia stricta. This sample was shown to possess antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi, viz. Six bacterial strains were Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus substilis, Lacto bacillus and two fungal strains Curvularia lunata and Candida albicans by using disc diffusion method. The anti bacterial activity of the sample from ethyl acetate fraction is almost comparable with standard solvent control Chloramphenicol. The anti fungal activity is almost comparable with standard solvent control Fluconazole. From this study, it can be concluded that Opuntia stricta (flowers) reveal antimicrobial activity against various human pathogenic bacteria.

Keywords: Opuntia stricta; antibacterial activity; antifungal activity; diffusion method; Chloramphenicol;