ANTIMICROBIAL EFFICACY OF THE ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES, CANARIUM STRICTUM ROXB

Objective: This study is aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of alcoholic leaf extracts of the ethno medicinal plant species, Canarium strictum belongs to the family, Burseraceae used by Irula tribal community of Walayar valley, the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India.Methods: Leaf samples were extracted with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and methanol. Antimicrobial activity against 10 bacterial strains and 10 fungal species was studied by using disc diffusion method, and the minimum inhibitory concentration was determined using macro-broth dilution method.Results: All extracts showed a varied degree of antimicrobial activity against the tested pathogens. However, the methanol extract formed higher inhibition zone (16.41 mm) against the bacterium, Moraxetta sp. Methanol and the ethyl acetate extracts also showed a high degree of inhibition of the fungi, Mucor rouxii and Rhizopus sp. (20.67 and 15.72 mm respectively).Conclusion: The methanolic extract was found to be more effective in inhibiting the colonial growth of the tested pathogens. Therefore, the results confirm the traditional knowledge of Irula tribals on the use of this species for curing the infectious diseases.Keywords: Canarium strictum, Ethnomedicinal plant, Antimicrobial activit

Pharmacological credence of the folklore use of Bauhinia malabarica in the management of jaundice

The information on the hepatoprotective effect of Bauhinia malabarica Roxb. (Family Leguminosae) used in the folkloric medical practice in Malabar coast and Walayar valley of southern India for the treatment of liver related disorders is completely unknown. Hence, the efficacy of the aqueous methanolic extract of stem bark of B. malabarica (AqMeOH-Ba) was evaluated for liver function serum biochemical markers along with the antioxidant markers in liver tissues of Wistar albino rats. The biochemical observations as well as the histopathological examination of liver sections manifested considerable hepatoprotective activity of B. malabarica stem bark, and thus validated the folkloric claim