Antimicrobial study of plant extracts of Datura metel L. against some important disease causing pathogens

ObjectiveIn this present study antimicrobial activity of aerial parts of Datura metel L were evaluated against the resistant pathogens belong to aquatic, human and plant origin.MethodsSoxhlet extraction method was used to get the corresponding extracts of hexane, chloroform and methanol. The antimicrobial activities of the organic solvent extracts on the various test microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi investigated using agar well diffusion technique. The length of inhibition zone was measured in millimeters from the edge of the well to the edge of the inhibition zone. Methanol and chloroform extracts exhibited promising antimicrobial activity than hexane extracts.ResultsThe zone of inhibition of chloroform varies from (9 to 18 mm) where as with methanol (11 to 30 mm) at 100 mg/ml and chloroform (11 to 19 mm) and methanol (12 to 35 mm) with 250 mg/ml DMSO concentrations consequently. Among all microorganisms studied Erwinia caratovara and Pseudomonas syringae showed the considerable growth inhibition with chloroform and methanolic extracts.ConclusionsD. metel can be used in the treatment of infectious diseases caused by resistant pathogenic microorganisms. Further studies are being carried out in order to separate the individual components that are present in plant extracts of D. metel using column chromatography.