Fungal and bacterial infections have increased rapidly and the wide uses of synthetic medicines have cytotoxicity on host and made drug resistance among the pathogen. The antifungal and antibacterial analysis of Bacopa monnieri (Linn) Pennell (Brahmi) was conducted in the present investigation.
Various extracts (water, methanol, acetone, petroleum ether and chloroform) of dried Brahmi leaves and stem were tested against two strains of fungi- Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans as well as bacterial strains. The antibacterial and antifungal activity of different plant extracts was determined by agar well-diffusion method using Muller hinton agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar. The methanol extracts of Brahmi leaves shows inhibition zones on Aspergillus niger (12.3 ± 0.6), Candida albicans (12.3 ± 0.6), Staphylococcus species (12.3 ± 0.6) and Bacillus species (12.3 ± 0.6). Water extract does not seem to have any good antimicrobial activity against all above mentioned the test microorganisms.
The present in vitro investigation results shows that the extracts of Brahmi leaves and stems show good antifungal and antibacterial activity. The study also concludes that methanol and acetone extracts showed good higher efficacy of the bioactive compounds.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Objectives
1.2 Scope of the study
1.3 Taxonomical classification
3. Hypothesis
4. Materials and Methods
4.1 Study area
4.2 Plant sample collection
4.3 Preparation of extract
4.4 Microorganism
4.5 Agar well diffusion tests
4.8 Statistical analysis
5. Results
5. Discussion
6. Conclusions
Objectives and Scope
The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the antimicrobial and antifungal efficacy of Bacopa monnieri (Linn) Pennell extracts against specific bacterial and fungal pathogens, and to assess the viability of using various solvents for extraction to potentially develop new drug formulations.
- Determination of extraction efficiency using different solvent types.
- Validation of antimicrobial activity via agar well-diffusion assays.
- Evaluation of inhibition zones against foodborne pathogens and spoilage organisms.
- Exploration of underutilized medicinal plants for therapeutic applications.
- Analysis of bioactive compound efficacy derived from Brahmi leaves and stems.
Excerpt from the book
1. Introduction
Invasive fungal infections have increased in frequency and severity over the last two decades as a result of an increasing number of immunocompromised hosts. Widespread use of antibacterial and antifungal therapies for curative and prophylactic purposes has serious drawbacks such as the development of fungal resistance and toxic side effects. Because of the eukaryotic properties of fungi, many antifungal compounds exhibit a potent cytotoxic effect on humans which is a significant limitation for the application of these compounds as a practical drug. In search of new antifungal compounds with low side effects such as cytotoxicity, recent efforts have focused on natural resources to obtain a novel bioactive substance, especially from plants. Due to the high costs, adulterations and possible side effects of synthetic drugs the search for alternative cheap medicinal plants is of top priority in developing and under developed countries.
Medicinal plants represent a rich source of antimicrobial agents and used widely in Ayurvedic and other traditional medicinal systems. A wide range of medicinal plant parts used for extract as raw drugs and they possess varied medicinal properties. The different parts used include root, stem, flower, fruit, twigs exudates and modified plant organs. While some of these raw drugs are collected in smaller quantities by the local communities and folk healers for local used, many other raw drugs are collected in larger quantities and traded in the market as the raw material for many herbal industries. Although hundreds of plant species have been tested for antimicrobial properties, the vast majority of have not been adequately evaluated.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the rising prevalence of drug-resistant infections and the necessity of exploring medicinal plants like Bacopa monnieri as alternative therapeutic agents.
3. Hypothesis: Proposes that the different extracts derived from Bacopa monnieri (Linn) Pennell will exhibit varying degrees of antimicrobial and antifungal activities.
4. Materials and Methods: Describes the study area, the collection process of plant materials, the preparation of various solvent-based extracts, and the specific laboratory protocols used for microbial testing.
5. Results: Details the findings regarding the inhibition zones produced by different extracts, highlighting the comparative effectiveness of methanol and acetone on the test microorganisms.
5. Discussion: Analyzes the potential of plant-derived secondary metabolites to serve as antimicrobial agents and interprets the variations in efficacy based on the solvents and plant parts used.
6. Conclusions: Summarizes that Brahmi leaf and stem extracts possess significant antibacterial and antifungal properties, with methanol and acetone yielding the highest efficacy.
Keywords
Bacopa monnieri, Brahmi, antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, agar well-diffusion, medicinal plants, bioactive compounds, plant extracts, methanol, acetone, pathogens, drug resistance, inhibition zone, pharmacology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research study?
The study investigates the antibacterial and antifungal properties of the medicinal herb Bacopa monnieri (Brahmi) to address the rising challenges of drug resistance in pathogens.
Which thematic areas are covered in the research?
Key themes include ethnopharmacology, antimicrobial testing, extraction methodology, and the potential for natural products to serve as alternatives to synthetic drugs.
What is the primary objective of this investigation?
The objective is to determine the extraction efficiency of Brahmi using different solvents and to validate these extracts through zone-of-inhibition studies against major bacterial and fungal strains.
What scientific methodology was employed?
The study utilized the agar well-diffusion method to measure the inhibitory activity of various extracts against specific microbial strains, followed by statistical analysis of the resulting data.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the systematic extraction of plant components, the experimental setup for antimicrobial assays using different solvents, and a comprehensive analysis of the results obtained from the tests.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Bacopa monnieri, antimicrobial efficacy, bio-active compounds, and plant-based medicinal therapies.
Which solvents proved to be the most effective in this study?
The research concludes that methanol and acetone extracts demonstrated superior efficacy in inhibiting the growth of the tested bacterial and fungal strains.
Did the water extract show significant antimicrobial activity?
No, the study noted that water extracts showed negligible or no significant antimicrobial activity compared to the organic solvent-based extracts.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Dr. Prem Jose Vazhacharickal et al. (Autor:in), 2016, Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties of Brahmi, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/359220
