摘要
Objective:To evaluate the antimicrobial potentials of 6 traditionally used medicinal plants to treat gastrointestinal infection against pathogenic bacteria,as most of the pathogens develop drug resistance against commonly used antibiotics.Methods:Crude extracts from different parts of different plants were tested against bacterial strains of clinical significance.Extraction of bioactive principles was done with water and ethanol.Evaluation of antibacterial activity was done by disc diffusion assay against selected bacterial stains.Results:Of the 6 different plant materials tested,extracts prepared from Psidium guajava leaves showed significantly higher efficacy.Extracts prepared using alcohol exhibited higher antibacterial activity when compared to their corresponding aqueous extracts.Conclusions:The findings of the present study suggested that phytochemical extracts of the presently studied plant materials possess significant anti-enteric bacterial activity,and thus lend pharmacological credibility to the suggested traditional use of the plant as a natural remedy for the treatment,management and/or control of gastrointestinal diseases in the coastal tracts of Kanyakumari district,Tamilnadu,India.
