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Research Article
EV
ALUA
TION OF WITHANIA OBTUSIFOLIA T
ACKH. (SOLANACEAE) LEAF AND
EVALUA
ALUATION
TACKH.
ROOT EXTRACTS AS AN ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT
M. Senthil Kumar, A. Saravana Kumar, A. Ramachandran* and A. Shajahan**
Plant Molecular Biology Lab, PG and Research Dept of Botany Jamal Mohamed College (Autonomous)
Tiruchirappalli- 620 020
*Director in Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation, Anna University, Chennai
Abstract: Leaf and root samples of Withania obtusifolia were used to examine their antimicrobial
potential against some human pathogenic bacteria (E. coli, Bacillus and Shigella) fungi (A. niger and
Trichophyton rubrum) growth inhibition was observed in different volumetric concentrations of this
extract. Phytochemical analysis showed the presence of nitrogenous compound (8-Azabicyclo [3.2.1]
octan-3-ol, 8-methyl-, endo-) as a major constituent of the plant leaf and roots which are commonly
known to be used in antimicrobial treatments. Root sample showed higher antimicrobial activity
than the leaf sample. These results confirm the antimicrobial property of W. obtusifolia leaf and
root support the traditional use of the plant in therapeutic use against microbial infections.
Key words: Withania obtusifolia, medicinal plants, antimicrobial activity, Solanaceae
Introduction
Some bacteria and fungi are extremely
pathogenic causing serious human infections.
The discovery of antibiotics to combat these
pathogens marked a revolution in the twentieth
century (Evan, 1992). Unfortunately, because
of the inappropriate usage of antibiotics in
human and veterinary medicine, certain strains
of bacteria and fungi have developed the ability
to resist their antibiotics or change their
infection process to penetrate the host cells (Ali
et al., 1995). Therefore, disease causing microbes
that have become resistant to antibiotic therapy
are becoming a public health problem. The large
part of the problem is the increased use and
abuse of existing antibiotics in human and
veterinary medicine (Muhammad and
Muhammad, 2005). To substitute synthetic
antibiotics, many of the modern and effective
drugs have their origin in traditional folk
medicine (Natarajan et al., 2003). Plants have
been used to treat human, animals and plant
References
Table 1. Bioactivity of W. obtusifolia leaf and root methanolic extracts against fungal and
bacterial isolates
Organism
A. niger
T. rubrum
E. coli
Bacillus subtilis
Shigella
50 l
1.6
0.4
1.1
1.1
1.2
75 l
1.8
0.7
1.2
1.3
1.3
100 l
2.4
1.8
1.4
1.5
1.5
50 l
2.3
1.4
2.4
2.4
2.2
75 l
2.8
1.6
3
2.6
2.8
100 l
3
1.8
3.1
2.8
3