ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF EXACUM LAWII EXTRACTS AND VOLATILE OIL AGAINST OCULAR INFECTION

Exacum lawii is folklore medicinal herb, boiled with oil and used traditionally for ocular infection. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the in-vitro antibacterial and antifungal activity against ocular infection. Ethanolic extract, petroleum ether extract and volatile oil were extracted from Exacum lawii whole plant. Antibacterial activity and antifungal activity against strains causing ocular infection were evaluated and Himalaya Optha-care Eye Drop was used as standard. The antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by agar disc diffusion assay method. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum fungicidal concentration were determined for each extract and volatile oil by subculturing the samples. The volatile oil and the extracts of Exacum lawii showed bactericidal and fungicidal activities against some strains of bacteria and fungi causing ocular infection. Minimum bactericidal concentration for volatile oil was found in range of 3.125 mg/ml to 12.25 mg/ml, for ethanolic extract 6.25 mg/ml to 25 mg/ml and for petroleum ether extract 25 mg/ml to 50 mg/ml. Minimum fungicidal concentration of volatile oil was found to be 3.125 mg/ml to 12.5 mg/ml, for ethanolic extract 12.5 mg/ml to 25 mg/ml and for petroleum ether extract 25 mg/ml to 50 mg/ml. This study suggested that the volatile oil is possess potent antimicrobial activity by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi causing ocular infection significantly than the ethanolic and petroleum ether extract of Exacum lawii.