Antibacterial potential of flower extracts of a noxious weed Lantana camara L.

Abstract

The present research work focuses on the bioactive potential of some flower extracts viz. benzene, chloroform and acetone extract of a noxious weed Lantana camara L. at various concentrations against pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Alkaligenes faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella dysenteriae and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The percentage yield (w/w) of these extracts was 2.6%, 0.28% and 6.58% respectively and these values correspond to 1.3g, 0.14g and 3.29g of the soluble principles in fractions respectively. Benzene extract was active against Bacillus cereus and Klebsiella pneumoniae only and did not inhibit the growth of other test bacteria. Chloroform extract was found to be active against 6 of the 8 tested bacteria and was found to be inactive against Proteus vulgaris and Salmonella typhimurium whereas acetone extract was inactive against Proteus vulgaris only. The inhibitory values were quite significant as compared to the control at all the concentrations used and the Critical Difference (CD) values at 5% level of significance were in the range of 0.10 to 0.18. The results suggest the antibacterial potential of the plant which needs to be tapped keeping in view the increased prevalence of the various harmful and infectious diseases caused by these pathogenic bacteria and the side effects related to the synthetic antibiotic therapy with a concern leading to drug resistance among bacteria.