Assessment of antibacterial potential of Saccharum spontaneum Linn. (family: Poaceae), against different pathogenic microbes- an in vitro study.

Abstract

In this study, Saccharum spontaneum (Family: Poaceae), was evaluated for its antibacterial potential against human pathogenic bacterial strains. In-vitro antibacterial tests were performed by disc diffusion method on nutrient agar, in order to analyze the percentage zone of inhibition. Whole plant’s extract showed the significant zone of inhibition (mm), against Staphylococcus aureus (17.00), Streptococcus pneumoniae (16.50), Bacillus cereus (15.90), Bacillus pumilus (15.45), Escherichia coli (18.00), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.10), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15.20) and Citrobacter freundii (14.00), with relative percentages of inhibition of 76.90, 71.60, 57.40, 56.85, 70.40, 69.90, 61.05 and 54.30 respectively. Modified agar well diffusion method was used to measure the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and MIC values lies within the range of 75 to 300?g /ml for the G+ve strains while 75 to 600?g /ml for G-ve.  Due to presence of tannins and flavonoids, it inhibits the growth of bacteria on most regulatory levels such as peptidoglycan, DNA, RNA and protein synthesis.