EVALUATION OF ANTI-MICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF DRYOPTERIS COLCHEATA RHIZOME

Herbal drugs have gained more importance and popularity in recent years because of their safety, efficacy, and low cost. The pteridophytes have an important role in folklore medicine, although neglected in modern days. These plants have been successfully used in different systems of medicines like Ayurvedic, Unani, Homeopathic, and other systems of medicines. Antimicrobial drugs are the greatest contribution of the present century to therapeutics. Dryopteris cochleata, family Dryopteridaceae which is popularly called as Jatashankari exhibits various therapeutic values to treat many diseases such as, epilepsy, leprosy, wounds, ulcers, diabetes, etc. was selected for the present research work to screen for antibacterial properties. The antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract of Dryopteris cochleata was screened against two gram-positive bacteria (B. subtilis, S. mutans) and three-gram negative bacteria (E. coli, P. aeruginosa, K. pneumonia) and antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus by disc diffusion method. The extract showed significant antimicrobial activity against B. subtilis, S. mutans, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, Candida albicans but did not show antimicrobial activity towards Klebsiella pneumonia and Aspergillus flavus. Ciprofloxacin and fluconazole were used as standards for antibacterial and antifungal activity, respectively.