Callus Induction and Antimicrobial Activities of Callus and Intact Plant Extracts of Datura stramonium L.

Antimicrobial activities of callus and intact plant leaves of Datura stramonium L (Solanaceae) was investigated against Bacillus subtilus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger by using agar diffusion method. In order to induce callus, leaf explants from D. stramonium were cultured on Murashige& Skoog ( MS) medium supplemented with different types and concentrations of growth regulators. The explants of D. stramonium initiated callus very rapidly after three weeks when grown in ( MS) medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l 2, 4-D, while the other concentrations showed less rate of callus formation. MS medium supplemented with combination of 0.05mg/l 2, 4-D + (0.025mg/l) kinetin showed faster rate of callus initiation when compared with medium containing 0.05mg/l 2, 4-D alone. Leaves of D. stramonium, and their derived callus were extracted by petroleum ether and methanol. Petroleum ether extracts for leaves of intact plant and their callus showed no activity against all tested organisms, while the methanolic extract of leaves intact plant showed highly inhibition zone (IZ) against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonus aeruginosa, Aspergilus niger, while the methanolic extract of leaf derived callus showed activity against Bacillus subtilus and Candida albicans. The antibacterial activity of Penicillin and Gentamicin were compared with the antibacterial activity of the tested extracts. D. stramonium leaf methanolic extracts showed more efficacy activity against Bacillus subtillus than Gentamicin at 50g/ml. Phytochemical screening for both plants and callus extracts indicated the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids and tannins