ANTIMICROBIAL AND SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF METHANOL EXTRACT OF SASSUREA LAPPA ON GRAM POSITIVE, GRAM NEGATIVE AND METHICILLIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS

Thara K. Menon*

ABSTRACT

The methanol extract from the medicinal plant Saussurea lappa (S.lappa) was tested for antimicrobial activity against gram positive organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 87 and gram negative organisms like Escherichia coli MTTCC 41, Proteus vulgaris MTCC 426 (ATCC 6380), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 424(ATCC 25619) and Candida albicans MTTCC 183(ATCC 2091) and found to have significant inhibitory effect. The effect of this extract was tested against the resistant strain Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus also. The synergistic effect in combination of the extract with antibiotics also tested and proved to have synergistic effect reducing the MIC value of the drug to two-fold. LC-MS analysis of the active fraction of this plant extract showed the presence of diaminobutyric acid, conferitin, myricetin and epigallocatechin.

Keywords: Candida albicans MTTCC 183(ATCC 2091) and found to have significant inhibitory effect.