Antibacterial and antifungal activity of Mentha longifolia Mirkalan village of Nizampur region Nowshehra district of KPK, Pakistan

Abstract

Mentha longifolia Mirkalan village of Nizampur region Nowshehra district of KPK, Pakistan leaves were collected and air dried for seven days and crushed into powder form. The extracts were prepared in 70 percent ethanol and hot water and preserved for susceptibility testing. The selected microorganisms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger were cultured on nutrient agar through spreading technique by using a swab. After culturing the wells were made on nutrient agar by cork borer of 6mm in diameter. The wells were then filled with prepared extracts and also control was applied for valid results. Then the plates were incubated for overnight and next day the clear zones of inhibition around the wells were measured in mm. Ethanolic extract of Mentha longifolia shows the high zone of inhibition as compared to the hot water extract. The highest zone of inhibition by Ethanolic extract is 29mm against Enterococcus faecalis and 27mm against Escherichia coli. 25mm and 20mm of clear zones were appeared against fungi named as Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger respectively. While hot water extracts show highest zone of inhibition was against E. coli and Candida albicans which was 15mm and 10mm respectively.