STUDY OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY AND PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF JATROPHA GOSSYPIFOLIA, SAPIUM SEBIFERUM, KIRGANELIA RETICULATA, PHYLLANTHUS FRATERNUS AND PEDILANTHUS TITHYMALOIDES

Present investigation deals with the evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of extracts of Jatropha gossypifolia Linn., Sapium sebiferum (L.) Roxb., Kirganelia reticulata (Poir) Baill., Phyllanthus fraternus Webster and Pedilanthus tithymaloides (Linn.) Poit. against Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus and Trichophyton mentagrophytes and T. rubrum. The antibacterial activity was tested by the disc diffusion method and the antifungal (antidermatophytic) activity by the method of Abubacker et al. It was observed that only DMSO extracts of the leaves of K. reticulata and the flowers of P. tithymaloides inhibited the growth of P. vulgaris and S. aureus with MIC at 200 mg ml^–1. The extracts did not inhibit the growth of T. mentagrophytes and T. rubrum. The phytochemical analysis of these extracts indicated that the tannin and saponin contents were highest in the leaves of K. reticulata (6.0 and 12.04 % respectively) whereas, the flavonoid and steroid and triterpenoid contents were highest in theflowers of P. tithymaloides (41.20 % and 46.74 %). The MIC values of extracted tannins from the leaves and flowers of P. fraternus and P. tithymaloides respectively were found to be 40 mg ml^-1 (against S. aureus) whereas, that of extracted tannins and flavonoids from leaves of K. reticulata were 50 mg ml^-1 (against P. vulgaris and S. aureus). TLC of extracted tannins showed presence of 4 common components, the flavonoids showed 3 and the saponins showed 2 common components. TLC of steroids and triterpenoids did not show presence of any common components.