EVALUATION OF IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF WHOLE PLANT (FRUIT, LEAVES, STEM, AND ROOT) OF SOLANUM TORVUM SWARTZ

*Dr. Lincy Sara Varghese, Ambili P., Dr. V. T. Antony, Keerthimol Joy and Mayamol M. S.

ABSTRACT

In this study the antibacterial activity of Solanum torvum Swartz. was assayed against E. coli, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi, Staphylococcus aureus, Sreptococcus sp., Bacillus sp., Proteus sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Klebsiella sp. The antibacterial activity was determined in ethanolic extracts of fruits, stem, leaves and root of Solanum torvum. All the test bacteria were resistant to the stem and root extracts except for S. aureus and Bacillus sp. The leaf extract maximally inhibited the growth of Sreptococcus followed by Bacillus; and to a less extent of S. aureus, Klebsiella, S. typhi, S. paratyphi as well. However, the fruit extract of S. torvum was effective in inhibiting the growth of Klebsiella, S. typhi, S. paratyphi, S. aureus and Bacillus. The bactericidal activities of S. torvum extracts were superior in Gram positive than in gram negative bacteria. The present study observed that the inhibitory effect of S. torvum is more against Gram positive bacteria. Also, the root of S. torvum was most inhibitory to the growth of bacteria than fruit, leaves or stem.

Keywords: Solanum torvum, antibacterial assay, ethanol extract, disc diffusion, ethnomedicine.