ANTIBACTERIAL EVALUATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY KORKUS IN MELGHAT FOREST AGAINST GASTROINTESTINAL INFECTIONS

Use of plants as a source of traditional healing systems around the world that utilize herbal remedies is an important source for the discovery of new antimicrobials against resistant strains of bacteria. Medicinal plants have been a major source of therapeutic agents in Korkus from Melghat since time immemorial. Incredible knowledge of phytomedicine is acquired in non-coded form by these tribals and rural community is clear from evidences related to folklore medicines.  Acacia leucopholia (Bark), Butea monosperma (Seed, Flowers), Woodfordia fruticosa (Root, Flowers), Sphaeranthus indicus (Fruits, Whole plant), Maytenus emerginata (Root, Leaves), Acacia arabica (Leaves), Caesalpinia bonducella (Seeds), Gardenia gummifera (Resin) were selected. Dried powders of plant parts were extracted in different solvents like water, ethanol, methanol and acetone. Antibacterial activity was tested by disc diffusion method against standard cultures of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi, Salmonella typhimurium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Shigella flexneri. Methanol extract of Woodfordia fruticosa, Acacia leucopholia, ethanol extracts of Sphaeranthus indicus, Butea monosperma, Maytenus emerginata were active against the test pathogens. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts showed presence of cardiac glycosides, anthraquinone, flavonoids, tannins phenolics in the methanol extracts of Woodfordia fruticosa, Acacia leucopholia.