EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF CROTON ROXBURGHII BALAK. (EUPHORBIACEAE) LEAVES.

Antimicrobial activity of methanol extracts of Croton roxburghii Balak. (Euphorbiaceae) leaves, in different concentrations (5ìg/ml, 25ìg/ml, 50ìg/ml, 100ìg/ml, 250ìg/ml), was carried out as a part of search for new antimicrobial substance against important human pathogens. Antibacterial and antifungal activities were carried out against six human pathogens like, two Gram positive bacteria namely B.subtilis & S.aureus, two Gram negative bacteria namely E.coli & K.pneumoniae and two fungal strains namely A.flavus & C.albicans, by disc diffusion method following standard procedures. The zone of inhibition of the extract was compared with that of different standard drugs like Streptomycin, Cifpodoxime and Gentamycin, for antibacterial activity while Amphotericin, Fluconazole and Clotrimazole, for antifungal activity. The observed results (zone of inhibition) showed that methanol extract of Croton roxburghii leaves possess effective antibacterial and antifungal activities against all tested organisms comparable with that of standard drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]