COMPARATIVE STUDY ON ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF ETHYL ACETATE EXTRACT OF CUSCUTA REFLEXA GROWN ON CASSIA FISTULA AND FICUS BENGHALENSIS

Comparative antibacterial study of ethyl acetate extract of Cuscuta reflexa parasite grown on Cassia fistula and Ficus benghalensis was performed using disc diffusion method. Four different concentrations, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg/ml of ethyl acetate extract of Cuscuta reflexa grown in two different host plants were prepared and tested against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcous aureus and Salmonella typhi in disc diffusion method. Cuscuta reflexa extract from both the host trees showed effect but difference in their activity to the test organisms was found. Significantly higher activity was shown by Cuscuta reflexa grown on Cassia fistula against all the pathogenic bacteria and produced zones of inhibition ranging from 14.18-22.5 mm at 100 mg/ml concentration but extract was found inactive against Salmonella typhi at all tested concentration. In the same way Cuscuta reflexa grown on Ficus benghalensis was active against all the bacterial strains and produced zones of inhibition ranging from 10.4-12.98 mm at 100 mg/ml concentration but extract was found inactive against Escherichia coli at all the tested concentrations. This study confirms the host dependent antibacterial activity of Cuscuta reflexa