COMPARATIVE ANTIMICROBIAL AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY STUDY OF N-HEXANE, CHLOROFORM AND CARBON TETRA-CHLORIDE EXTRACTS OF ADIANTUM INCISUM FORSK

Sayema Khanum* and Dewan Aklima

ABSTRACT

In the present study the antimicrobial & cytotoxic activity of crude extracts (n-hexane, chloroform, carbon tetra-chloride) of Adiantum incisum Forsk were studied. Antimicrobial activity was tested against ten important pathogenic bacteria including both gram positive (+ve) and gram negative (-ve) bacteria and two fungi. The bacteria were B. megaterium, B.cereus, B. subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Sarcina lutea, Escherichia coli, Shigella boydii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio mimicus & V. parahemolyticus. Disc diffusion technique was used for in-vitro antibacterial and antifungal screening. Here kanamycin disc (30g /disc) was used as standard for antibacterial study. The extracts showed antimicrobial activity against most of the bacterial strains with an average zone of inhibition of 8-14mm. The tested fungi were Saccharromyces cerevaceae and Candida albicans. The extracts showed mild to moderate antifungal activity with an average 8 -10 mm zone of inhibition. Among the three solvent extracts used, the most effective extract was found to be chloroform and maximum activity (14 mm, zone of inhibition) found against Staphylococcus aureus. Cytotoxicity test was also studied by Brine Shrimp Lethality Bioassay and compare with LC50 values of standard Vincristine sulphate as a positive control. The results illustrated significant cytotoxicity against A. salina, with LC50 9.267μg/ml, 8.118μg/ml and 9.245μg/ml for n-hexane, chloroform and carbon tetra-chloride extracts respectively.

Keywords: Antimicrobial activity, Pathogenic bacteria, Kanamycin, Cytotoxicity.