COMPARATIVE ANTI BACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF LAGENARIA SICERARIA, MOMORDICA CHARANTIA AND CHENOPODIUM AMBROSIOIDES AGAINST CERTAIN HUMAN PATHOGENS.

Petroleum ether, Chloroform, ethanol and water extracts of Lagenaria siceraria, Momordica charantia and Chenopodium ambrosioides were prepared separately and evaluated for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Klebisella species by cup-plate method (lawn and pour) and Disc diffusion method. Ethanol and Chloroform extracts (100 /ml) extracts showed significant activity against the tested microorganism in comparison with the standard Streptomycin and Amikacin. Various tests for physico chemical evaluation and phyto-chemical screening were carried out. Determination of foreign matter, ash value, extractive values, swelling index, foaming index, loss on drying and fluorescence analysis, bulk density and tapped density to assure the purity of drugs were evaluated .The extracts showing the positive activity can be formulated individually or in combination as internal or external dosage forms. In this regard there is great scope for developing new herbal formulation for treating bacterial infections using the above mentioned herbal combination. Further scope exists for research with formulation and development, safety and efficacy. This kind of study can generate more such ideas for re-inviting and using well known herbs in combination to treat more diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]