Evaluation of antibacterial activity and phytochemical analysis of Bauhinia variegata l. bark

Abstract

Bauhinia variegata L. bark powder was defatted with petroleum ether. The non-defatted plant material as well as the defatted plant material was then individually extracted in different solvents with increasing polarity viz. 1,4-dioxan, acetone, methanol, dimethylformamide (DMF) and distilled water respectively. The extractive value of B. variegata L. for non-defatted extracts ranged from (0.7-13%) and for defatted extracts the extractive value ranged from (1-10.5%). The antibacterial activity of all the extracts (non-defatted and defatted) of Bauhinia variegata L. bark was determined by agar well diffusion method at three different concentrations i.e., 10 mg/ml, 5 mg/ml and 2.5 mg/ml. The antibacterial activity of defatted extracts of Bauhinia variegata L. was more than those without defatting. Maximum activity was observed at highest concentration i.e. 10mg/ml. Defatted acetone and methanol extracts of Bauhinia variegata L. were most active as compared to other extracts against all the studied organisms. Petroleum ether extracts of Bauhinia variegata L. was inactive against all microorganism (Afr. J. Biomed. Res. 9: 53 – 56, 2006) Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Bauhinia variegata L. non-deffated extracts, defatted extracts.