PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND IN VITRO ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF BAUHINIA RACEMOSA LAMK (CAESALPINIACEAE)

The aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial activity of the leaves of the Bauhinia racemosa L. In the current study, the aqueous and methanol extract of leaves of B. racemosa L. was tested against standard bacterial and fungal cultures. In vitro antimicrobial test was performed by agar well diffusion method on Mueller hinton agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar for bacterial and fungal cultures respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration test was performed by modified agar well diffusion method. Methanol extract showed significantly higher inhibitory effect compared to aqueous extract on tested organisms. The methanol extract showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity as it inhibited Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), Gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis) and fungi (Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger). Both extracts showed maximum relative percentage inhibition against A. niger. MIC values for methanol extract varied from 1.5-25 mg/ml. Phytochemical analysis of crude methanol and aqueous extract suggested the presence of protein, oil and fats, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, saponins tannins and carbohydrates as major phytochemical groups.