ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL AND AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF PARINARI CURATELLIFOLIA (STEM) ON DENTAL CARIES CAUSING MICROBES

Antimicrobial activity of ethanol and aqueous extracts of Parinari curatellifolia (stem) were tested against five dental carries causing bacteria and three fungi strains by agar diffusion method. The crude extracts showed a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity inhibiting the five strains of bacteria and the three fungi. The extracts were most effective against Aspergilusflavus, followed by Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus respectively. S. mutans and S. aureus were the only microorganisms that showed zone of inhibition in all the various concentrations of the ethanol extract of P. curatelifolia. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoid, anthraquinones, saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, steroids, terpenoids, phlobotanins and carbohydrates.