Background/aims: Present study evaluates the potential of three different Indian plants
against drug resistant clinical pathogens, which are already known to provide relief in
microbial infections.
Methods: A total of nine extracts from leaves of Arum maculatum, Tinospora cardifolia and
Andrographis paniculata were investigated to evaluate their antibacterial activities against
two reference strains of human pathogenic bacteria. The antibacterial activities of the extracts
were assessed by agar well diffusion method and minimal inhibition concentration
(MIC). The efficacy of the extracts was compared to commercially prepared antibiotic
(Streptomycin) discs. The extract showing antibacterial activity was fractionated by TLC and
the purified active fraction was chemically characterized by different phytochemical tests.
Results: Methanol extract of A. paniculata leaves exhibited strong in vitro antibacterial
activity against Gram positive bacteria including clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis,
Enterococcus faecalis and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Phytochemical
investigations of TLC purified active fraction from this extract showed the presence of
terpenoids in it