Antibacterial potential of Skemmia laureola methanolic extract

Saeed-ur-Rahman1, Zia-ur-Rahman Awan1,2, Arif-ullah Khan3*, Abdul Haleem    Shah1,Abdur Rahman4 and Inayat Gul5

1Department of Biological Sciences, Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan.

2Department of Zoology, Government Postgraduate College Bannu, Pakistan.

3Department of Pharmacy, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat-   26000,Pakistan.

4Department of Botany, Government Postgraduate College Bannu, Pakistan.

5Department of Botany, Government Postgraduate College Miran Shah, Pakistan.

Corresponding Author E-mail: arifullahkhan979@hotmail.com; 

Tel: (+92) 922-554188; Fax: (+92) 922 554556

Accepted 11 June, 2012

Abstract

In the present research, an attempt was made to explore the therapeutic potential of Skimmia laureola. The crude methanolic extract of Skimmia laureola leaves was evaluated for its antibacterial activity against gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) bacteria. Skimmia leureola extract at different concentrations (60 mg/ml, 90 mg/ml, 120 mg/ml and 150 mg/ml) exhibited significant inhibitory effect against both Staphylococcus aureus and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Comparing the plant extract results with standard antibiotic, lincomycine and ceftrixone, both standards have greater zone of inhibition against the gram positive and gram negative bacteria. In present antimicrobial investigation, it was found that gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) were more sensitive than gram negative bacteria (Agrobacterium tumaefaciens) for Skimmia laureola, lincomycine and ceftrixone.

Keywords: Skimmia laureola, antibacterial action, Staphylococcus aureus, Agrobacterium tumefaciens