The present study has been focused on the extraction of natural dyes from Curcuma longa, Trigonella
foenum graecum and Nerium oleander and investigation of their phytochemical and pharmacological characteristics.
Dyes were prepared using aqueous, acidic, alcoholic and alkaline extraction techniques. UV
spectral studies of the dyes showed a variation in absorptionmaximaand their color varied with respect to
the pH and the solvent used during extraction. The dyes prepared from turmeric using aqueous extraction
technique and from fenugreek using alkaline extraction showed good antibacterial activity. The aqueous
and alcoholic extraction of Nerium oleander was able to inhibit the growth of many fungal strains
including Tricoderma spp., Tricophyton rubrum, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium spp. etc.
The antimicrobial property of the dyes was used in developing antimicrobial fabric.