STUDY ON ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL AND PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF LAWSONIA INERMIS LINN.

The disease causing bacteria have evolved the genetic ability to transmit and acquire resistance to drugs used as therapeutic agents. The discovery of antibiotics to combat these pathogens marked a resolution in the 20th century. Unfortunately, because of the inappropriate use of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine, certain strains of bacteria and fungi developed the ability to produce substances which block the action of antibiotics or change their target or ability to penetrate cells. One way to prevent antibiotic resistance is by exploring new bioactive compounds from traditional medicine which is not based on the existing synthetic antimicrobial agents. Phytochemicals from medicinal plants showing antimicrobial activities have the potential of filling this need, because their structures are different from those of the more studied microbial sources. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial activity from ethanolic extract against different life threatening pathogenic microorganisms and screening for various phytochemical constituents of Lawsonia inermis Linn. According to the results obtained from current investigation, ethanolic extract of Lawsonia inermis found to possess good antibacterial properties over a wide range of disease causing gram positive as well as gram negative bacteria. Phytochemical study reveals the presence of Saponins, Tannins, Steroids and Anthraquinones in the ethanolic extract