ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES OF TRADITIONALLY USED MEDICINAL PLANTS FOR ENTERIC INFECTIONS BY ADIVASI’s (BHUMKA) IN MELGHAT FOREST (AMRAVATI DISTRICT)

Medicinal plants are a major source of therapeutic agents since time immemorial. Tribal and rural community from their parents on folklore medicines acquires incredible knowledge of phytomedicine in non-coded form. With the repeated discussions and consultations with Tribal and Bhumkas, we selected 36 different medicinal plants of 30 families used against enteric infections form Melghat forest (Amravati district). Antibacterial activity with extracts prepared in aqueous, ethanol, methanol, and acetone was performed by disk diffusion method against bacterial enteric pathogens such as E. coli, S. aureus, E. aerogenes, Ps. aeruginosa, S. typhi, S. typhimurium, S. paratyphi, Pr. vulgaris, K. pneumoniae and Sh. flexneri. Acacia arabica leaves proved strong antibacterial against E. coli, S. aureus, E. aerogenes, Sh. flexneri, S. paratyphi and S. typhi. In Terminalia chebula fruits and Terminalia bellirica fruits strong antibacterial potential was observed against E. coli, E. aerogenes, Ps. aeruginosa and S. typhimurium. Phytochemical analysis showed presence of fats, oils, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinones, tannins, and phenolics.