Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Costus pictus leaves, stem and root extract against bacteria

Abstract

The insulin plant, which is also called Spiral flag, includes two species, Costus pictus and Costus speciosus. These plants are known for their potential as herbal medicine for diabetes. Costus pictus is a type of medicinal herb that grows from rhizomes. The leaves of this plant help the body make more insulin by supporting the beta cells in the pancreas, which is why it's often called the "insulin plant" in India. There are many useful properties of C. pictus, such as anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-fertility, anti-helminthic, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory effects. To check its antimicrobial activity, the disc diffusion method was used, and the effect of different concentrations of the extract on bacterial growth was tested with the tube dilution technique. Various concentrations of ethanolic, acetone, and aqueous leaf extracts were tested. The strong antibacterial effect was found to be due to the active compounds in the ethanolic leaf extract of Costus pictus, which showed a zone of inhibition of 20 mm. This study was done to examine the antibacterial activity of Costus pictus.