DASHAMULARISHTA: PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL SCREENING AGAINST EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Pollution have a serious impact on human health and environment. The incidences of various diseases are becoming prominent with the increase in rate of population. The diseases mainly include respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disorders, throat inflammation, skin infections etc. In the present study,  widely claimed crude drug Dashamularishta, have been screened for their antibacterial activity against Shigella flexneri, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter aerogenes, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum.  Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of  petroleum ether, chloroform, benzene, ethyl acetate and ethanol and distilled water extracts of Dashamularishta have been screened. Phytochemical screening recorded positive results for  reducing sugar in all six extracts, terpinoids present  in pet. ether, ethyl acetate, methanol and distilled water extract, Flavonoids present in ethyl acetate and distilled water, Tannin present in chloroform and methanol, saponins present in pet. ether, benzene, ethyl acetate and distilled water extract. The results were expressed in terms of the diameter of the inhibition zone: The maximum efficacy of ethyl acetate extract was showed against Aspergillus niger(18mm)and Shigella flexneri (25mm).