Antibacterial Screening of Aqueous, Alcoholic and Hydroalcoholic extracts of a Unani drug Abhal (Fruits of Juniperus communis)

Abstract

Abhal is the dried ripe fruit of Juniperus communis Linn. It has long been using in Unani Medicine to treat many ailments including genitourinary infectious diseases. In the present study, the aqueous, alcoholic and hydroalcoholic extracts of Abhal berries were screened for their antimicrobial activity against both gram positive (Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Corynebacterium xerosis and Bacillus cereus) and gram negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris) bacterial strains compared with the standard Drug: Ciprofloxacin (SD060) 5µg/disk for gram positive bacterial strains and Gentamicin (SD016) 10µg/disk for gram negative bacterial strains using Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) with the help of Agar well method and  Minimum Inhibitory concentration (MIC) & Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) with the help of Nutrient Broth method. The data was analysed using Gpad INSTAT software, one way ANOVA and post-test named Bonferroni. Alcoholic and hydroalcoholic extract showed significant antibacterial activity than the aqueous extract but not up to the mark as compared to standard group indicating that the alcoholic and hydroalcoholic extract has the capability of extracting more phytochemicals than aqueous extract which are responsible for their antimicrobial activity. It could be concluded that the present drug possesses antimicrobial property.                          

Keywords: Antimicrobial, Abhal, Juniperus communis, MIC, MBC.