ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF AERIAL PARTS OF THYMUS SERPHYLLUM LINN AGAINST CLINICALLY IMPORTANT BACTERIAL STRAINS

In the present research work in vitro antibacterial activity of methanolic extract of aerial parts of Thymus serphyllum L. growing wild in Kashmir Himalaya was evaluated by agar well diffusion method and broth dilution assay against nine human pathogenic bacterial strains, known to cause serious infections. The extract was also screened for the presence of various bioactive phytoconstituents present in the plant. The extract in the present study possess appreciable potential of inhibiting the growth of all the bacterial strains at all tested concentrations (30, 60 and 90 mg/ml). The highest sensitivity was exhibited against Staphylococcus epidermidis MTCC- 435 and Staphylococcus aureus with mean zones of inhibition 20.66 and 20 mm respectively at the concentration of 90 mg/ml. Salmonella typhi showed the least activity with mean zone of inhibition of 10.00 mm at the concentration of 30 mg/ml. The MIC value ranged between 1.56 to 12.56 mg/ml. The phytochemical analysis of the crude extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, terpenes, steroids and carbohydrates. Anthraquinone glycosides were absent. The present study clearly indicate that the crude methanolic extract of Thymus serphyllum from high altitude of Kashmir Himalaya (2350 m) shows significant antibacterial activity in concentration dependent manner.