Antimicrobial activity of Cascabela thevetia (Flowers)

Abstract

A large number of medicinal plants are claimed to be useful in treating skin diseases in all traditional system of medicine. The present study was carried out to investigate the antimicrobial effect of the compound isolated from the ethylacetate fraction of flowers of Cascabela thevetia. This compound was shown to possess antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi. Four bacterial strains Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus and two fungal strains Curvularia lunata and Candida albicans were tested by using disc diffusion method. The anti-bacterial activity of the compound isolated from ethyl acetate fraction is almost comparable with standard Chloramphenicol. The antifungal activity is almost comparable with standard Fluconazole.