ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF WATER AND ETHANOLIC EXTRACTS OF Bauhinia variegata LEAVES.

Phytochemicals isolated from medicinal plants are known to be effective in treating bacterial infections. The antibacterial activities of the ethanol and water leaf extracts of Bauhinia variegata were tested. Antibacterial effects of crude extracts were performed using modified Kirby- Bauer disc diffusion technique to determine the zone of inhibition. The extracts were tested for the antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria (Sarcina ventriculi) and Gram-negative bacteria (Serratia marcescens). The results demonstrated that both ethanol and water leaf extracts of Bauhinia variegata have shown strong inhibition zone against Serratia marcescens and Sarcina ventriculi compared to control). This medicinal plant could be developed into affordable and safe standardized herbal products and may serve as a source of new molecules for broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. Our results revealed that Bauhinia variegata leaves contains total phenolic contents (453 mgGAE/ g), flavonoid 166 mg QE/g and total alkaloid 1.674 g/100g. Also Bauhinia variegata leaf extracts showed highly antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]