Abstract

Antimicrobial screening of rhizome extracts of Cyperus pangorei Rottb

Author(s): Fathima Benazir J, Suganthi R, Manju Das and Ravichandran P

Cyperus pangorei Rottb. is a sedge, pantropical in distribution and the rhizomes ofwhich provide a substitute for C.rotundus in Gujarat. The alcoholic rhizome extracts were prepared and used for the screening of the antibacterial and antifungal activities against eleven bacteria and five fungal species. The activity was compared with the activities of commercial antibiotics like ampicillin (amp), tetracycline (tet), kanamycin (kan) and nystatin (Nys) and the MICÂ’s were determined. The extract exhibited potential activity against both Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria (9 strains) and three fungal strains. Furthermore the extract showed potent activity against Serattia marcesance, S. epidermis and S pyogenes, while the antibiotics showed no activity against these microbes. The extract was also found to be fungicidal in case of Candida albicans, Fusarium sp. and Exherholium sp. The MIC varied between 5mg/ml to 20mg/ml.