PHARMACOGNOSTICAL AND PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON THE LEAF EXTRACTS OF Bauhinia tomentosa Linn

Bauhinia tomentosa Linn., leaves were selected to screen pharmacognostic and phytochemical studies. Plant material was collected from a garden in Thiruvarur district, Tamilnadu, India. Bauhinia tomentosa Linn., is a well-known medicinal plant, which has been valued in ancient systems of medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal infections. The leaf extracts of various solvents were subjected to pharmacognostical and phytochemical analysis. Variable fluorescence nature of the plant was also noted against day and UV light. Leaf extracts contain  alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, phenolic compounds, tannins, cardiac glycosides etc., which could be a reason for the plants pharmacological activity. These observations would be of great value in the authentification of this plant in its crude for

IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF Bauhinia tomentosa Linn., LEAF EXTRACTS

The aim of this study was to evaluate antibacterial activity of the leaves of Bauhinia tomentosa Linn. In the current study, aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves of Bauhinia tomentosa were tested against some human pathogenic bacteria. In vitro antibacterial test was performed by disc diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar medium. Ethanolic extract showed significantly higher inhibitory effect compared to aqueous extract on tested organisms. Key words: Bauhinia tomentosa leaves, aqueous and ethanol extracts, antibacterial activity.Â

Antibacterial Efficacy of Dihydroxylated Chalcones in Binary and Ternary Combinations with Nalidixic Acid and Nalidix Acid–Rutin Against Escherichia coli ATCC 25 922

In order to determine the existence of synergism, the bacteriostatic action of flavonoids against Escherichia coli ATCC 25 922 between dihydroxylated chalcones and a clinically interesting conventional antibiotic, binary combinations of 2′,3-dihydroxychalcone, 2′,4-dihydroxychalcone and 2′,4′-dihydroxychalcone with nalidixic acid and its ternary combinations with rutin (inactive flavonoid) were assayed against this Gram negative bacterium. Using a kinetic-turbidimetric method, growth kinetics were monitored in broths containing variable amounts of dihydroxychalcone alone, combinations of dihydroxychalcone variable concentration–nalidixic acid constant concentration and dihydroxychalcone variable concentration–nalidixic acid constant concentration–rutin constant concentration, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of dihydroxychalcones alone and its binary and ternary combinations were evaluated. All chalcones, and their binary and ternary combinations showed antibacterial activity, being rutin an excellent synergizing for the dihydroxychalcone–nalidixic acid binary combination against E. coli ATCC 25 922. Thus, this synergistic effect is an important way that could lead to the development of new combination antibiotics against infections caused by E. coli