ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF CLEMATIS BRACHIATA THUNB LEAF EXTRACTS

The antimicrobial activity as well as phytochemical screening of the hexane, acetone, methanol and water extracts of Clematis brachiata Thunb (Ranunculaceae) leaves was investigated. The agar dilution assay method was used for the evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of extracts against 10 bacteria and four fungal species. The phytochemical screenings were performed by using the standard procedures. The acetone and methanol extracts were active against the 10 bacteria strains with MIC ranging between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/ml, whereas the water extract was only active against two Gram-negative bacterial strains at 10.0 mg/ml. There was no activity from the hexane extract. While there was complete growth inhibition by the acetone and methanol extracts against all the fungal species at 10 mg/ml, the hexane extract was active against all the fungal species except Candida albicans at 10 mg/ml. In contrast, the water extract did not show any activity against the fungal species. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of phenols, tannin, saponin, flavonoids, terpenoids and glycosidic compounds and could be responsible for the above activities of the extracts. The results of this study support the traditional uses of this plant as antibiotics.