ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF AERIAL PARTS OF IMPERATA CYLINDRICA (L) BEAUV.

Abstract

Antimicrobial is an agent that kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoan, as well as destroying viruses. Antibacterial drugs either kill bacteria (bactericidal) or prevent the growth of bacteria (bacteriostatic). The scope of this study was to extract the active constituents present in the plant Imperata cylindrica by cold maceration method and to find the folklore claim of antibacterial action. The antibacterial activity was performed under sterile condition by using cup and plate method. Three extracts were prepared for this study such as ether extract, ethanolic extract and aqueous extract. The extractions were diluted as 200 mg/2 ml ratio. Each 200 mg of aqueous extract and ethanol extract was diluted with 2 ml of distilled water respectively; whereas the ether extract was suspended with tween 80, a suspending agent. The antibacterial test was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli. The test was done in triplicate with sterile Petri plates (10×10 cm) in Muller Hinton agar media. 0.5 ml of diluted culture was poured on each Petri plates and a well of 8 mm diameter approximately was cut with sterile metallic borer in the inoculated agar plate. The wells were filled with previously diluted three different extracts separately. The plates were labeled and incubated for 24 hours at 37°C. At the end of incubation period, the zone of inhibition (diameter) was measured and results showed that aqueous extract had very potent antibacterial activity comparatively with other extracts.