Antimicrobial Properties of Ocimum sanctum and Calotropis gigantea Leaves

Objective: To evaluate antimicrobial and phytochemical activity of hexane and ethanolic extract of Ocimum sanctum and Calotropis gigantea leaves on clinical pathogens.
Materials and Methods: The agar diffusion test was used to check the antimicrobial activity of the hexane and ethanolic extracts of the medicinal plants. Three different concentrations of the tested agents were used for the study. The values of Zone of Inhibition were tabulated according to the concentration of the tested agent and data was statistically analyzed using ANOVA tests. Phytochemicals were also detected in all the four extracts.
Results: All the plants extracts showed considerable antimicrobial activity against selected clinical pathogens. Hexane and ethanolic extracts of Ocimum sanctum and Calotropic gigantea leaves showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus at the 4% concentration. At 4% concentration the ethanolic extract of Ocimum sanctum has a greater effect on the tested microbes, having a mean and standard deviation of 8.37±0.57 on the most resistant microbe; being Escherichia coli. Phytochemical analysis of active extracts demonstrated the presence of common phyto-constituents like tannins, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids.
Conclusion: The hexane and ethanolic extract of O. sanctum and C. gigantea has considerable antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, E. coli and Klebsiella spp.