EVALUATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF LEAF AND STEM EXTRACTS OF SIDDA MEDICINAL PLANT SIDA CORDATA

Successive solvent extract viz., petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol and water extracts of leaf and stem of Sida cordata was evaluated for antimicrobial activity, against bacterial pathogens E.coli, S.aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Lactobacillus and two fungal strains Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger by agar-well diffusion/broth dilution / Resazurin microtiter method. MIC values for the aqueous extract of leaf varied from 0.187-1.5mg/ml for bacterial isolates, comparatively the ethanol leaf extract showed higher MIC values (0.375-3mg/ml) for all the tested bacteria. Chloroform, Ethyl acetate and Petroleum ether extracts did not show any significant activity. Similarly the antibacterial activity in the different extracts of the stem was comparatively less significant. Increased zone of inhibition was observed with increasing aqueous leaf extract, highest inhibition was with the highest concentration against S.aureus, E.coli and Lactobacillus compared to the inhibition effects on these organisms by Ampicillin used as control, indicating that the active principle responsible for antibacterial activity is more soluble in water. The extracts had no inhibitory effect on fungal isolates. The above findings suggest that Sida cordata is scientifically validate the use of this plant in the Sidda medicine. Further isolation and characterization of the active principle responsible for the antibacterial activity may be an alternate source for antibiotics.