Antimicrobial Activity of Opuntia cochenillifera (L.) Mill Fruit and Cladode Extracts

Abstract

In the present study the antimicrobial activity of chloroform and methanolic extracts of Opuntia cochenillifera for both cladode and fruits was investigated. Methanolic extract was found to be an effective against the microbes namely, E. c ol i , B acillus subtilis , Staphyloc occus aureus , Pseudomonas aeruginosa C andida albican C. glabrata C. h aemulonii C . T ropicalis . Maximum activity was observed against E. c oli , B. Subtilis and , C.albican and C.glabrata at 40mg/ml . Agar well diffusion assay was used to determine minimum inhibitory concentration of all test microorganisms.