EVALUATION OF A NTIMICROBIAL ACTIVIT Y AND PRELIMINA RY PHYTO CHEMICAL STUDIES ON WHOLE PLANT OF STACHYTARPHETA JAMAI CENSIS (L.)VAHL

T he antimicrobial activit y and preliminary phyto - chemical studies on whole plant of Stachytarpheta jamaicensis were evaluated . The shade dried and coarsely powdered plant was successively extracted with n - hexane, chloroform and alcohol in S oxhlet apparatus. The antimicrobial activit y of chloroform and alcohol extract s were evaluated by dis c diffusion method and the MIC was deter mined. Preliminary phyto - chemical studies were carried out in n - hexane, chloroform and alcohol extracts. The studies revealed that more antimicrobial activity was observed with chloroform extract against the gram positive organisms like Staphylococcus au reus, Enterococcus faecalis and B acillus s ubtilis when compared with alcohol extract . The chloroform and alcohol extract exhibited antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Th e preliminary phyto - chemical studies of all the extracts revealed that the plant has many phyto - constituents. The potent anti microbial activity and the presence of phytoconstitutents as known by the studies helps in concluding that the plant S . jamaicensis can be used as a novel source for drug develo pment .