Antimicrobial potentials of Catharanthus roseus by disc diffusion assay.

The present research work investigates the in vitro antimicrobial activity of different solvent extracted samples from the aerial parts (stem, leaf, fruit and flower) of C. roseus against different microbial species using disc diffusion assay at two different concentrations of 1 and 2 mg disc-1. Hexane extracted samples inhibited the growth of all tested microbial strains except S. typhi. Similarly, ethyl acetate extracted samples was effective to control the activity of all the tested microbial strains. E. coli and S. typhi showed resistance to chloroform extracted samples and the remaining eight microbial strains were susceptible to the same extract. Butanol extracted samples did not inhibit the growth of K. pneumonia and S. typhi at low concentration, however, at higher concentration the same extract reduced the growth of different microbes. Methanol extracted samples effectively controlled the growth of all tested microbes at both concentrations except for S. typhi. Water extracted samples did not inhibit the growth at low concentration except E. coli, K. pneumonia and S. aureus and were ineffective against P. aeroginosa at both concentration. C. albicans, showed resistance against chloroform and water extracted samples at low concentration and susceptible to other solvent extracted samples at both concentration. All fractions were effective against plant pathogens i.e. E. carotovora and A. tumefaciens.